Cessna 140A N377V

Summary

On 24 January 1998 at about 00:00 local time, a Cessna 140A registered N377V was involved in an accident near Justin, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 January 1998 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Justin, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Ken Woodall's Private (NONE)

Coordinates

33.0792, -97.2898

Aircraft

Cessna 140A

Registration

N377V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Denton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA105

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper planning/decision and failure to ensure that the airplane would be able to remain clear of the fence during takeoff. Factors relating to the accident were: the wet/soft/short runway (and terrain) conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was taking off north from a 1,500 foot grass airstrip. The non-rated passenger, who was seated in the left seat, stated that 'the tail wheel came up at the midpoint of the airstrip.' The pilot added that the airplane became airborne with a little less than 1/3 of the runway remaining. During initial climb, the main landing gear struck the top of a 4 strand barbed wire fence at the end of the airstrip. The airplane decelerated and touched down in a muddy plowed field just north of the airstrip boundary. After rolling about 40 yards, the main landing gear tires sank in the soft ground, and the airplane nosed over. In a telephone interview after the accident, the pilot added that due to recent rains, the north-south grass airstrip was 'soggy and mushy,' but he thought the airplane would have had no problem clearing the marked 4 foot tall barbed wire fence at the departure end of the airstrip.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.