Piper PA-28-180 N4337X

Summary

On 5 August 1999 at about 19:15 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N4337X was involved in an accident near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 August 1999 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Grand Geneva Resort Arpt (C02)

Coordinates

42.5797, -88.4208

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N4337X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Madison

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI99FA276

3 people were seriously injured.

the aborted takeoff not performed by the safety-pilot and airspeed not obtained/maintained by the safety-pilot. Factors to the accident were directional control and runway alignment not maintained by the pilot-in-command, the inadequate supervision of the safety-pilot, the tree line, altitude/clearance not obtained/maintained by the safety-pilot, the aircraft weight and balance exceeded by the pilot-in-command, and the encountered stall by the safety-pilot.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot-in-command was attempting a simulated zero-visibility takeoff by utilizing visibility-reducing goggles and a predetermined safety-pilot. On the takeoff roll the airplane departed the left side of the runway and the pilot-in-command relinquished aircraft control to the safety-pilot. The safety-pilot continued the takeoff, off to the left side of the runway, and during initial climb contacted the top of a tree line. Subsequent to the collision with the tree line, the aircraft stalled and entered a spin impacting the ground. No mechanical anomalies were found with the airplane or its engine. The reported useful load for the airplane was listed at 935.34 lbs and the actual aircraft load was calculated to be approximately 992 lbs and was found to be outside the weight and balance envelope found in the aircraft's operating manual.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.