Piper PA-28R-200 N2379T

Summary

On 10 June 2000 at about 18:05 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N2379T was involved in an accident near Flushing, Michigan, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 June 2000 at 18:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Flushing, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Dalton Airport (3DA)

Coordinates

43.0603, -83.8399

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N2379T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Newberry

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI00LA157

2 people were seriously injured.

altitude/clearance from the trees not being obtained/maintained by the pilot during the initial climb after takeoff. Factors to the accident were the inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot, including takeoff performance data not being calculated, the correct procedures/directives for a short field takeoff with obstacles not being followed by the pilot, the trees, and the encountered stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot attempted to takeoff from a 2,510-foot long runway with trees at the end, at a weight near maximum gross-weight, with a 2,785-feet density altitude. The aircraft stalled at the end of the runway, at treetop level, subsequently impacting the trees and terrain. The pilot reported that he selected 10-degrees of flaps for the takeoff. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the accident aircraft indicates that 25-degrees of flap is to be used for short-field takeoffs that have obstacles and that the landing gear to be retracted after lift-off. Post-accident investigation revealed that the landing gear was fully extended and the flaps were at 10-degrees (first notch). According to the POH, utilizing a calculated density altitude of 2,785-feet and 25-degrees of flaps used during the takeoff, the distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was approximated at 2,250-feet. Utilizing the same density altitude but 0-degrees of flaps used for the takeoff, the distance to clear a 50-feet obstacle was approximated at 2,500-feet. The takeoff calculations were based on a takeoff from a paved, dry, level runway and at the aircraft's certified maximum gross weight of 2,600-lbs.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.