Piper PA28-180 N132SF

Summary

On 2 August 2000 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA28-180 registered N132SF was involved in an accident near Taberg, New York, United States. 4 people were on board and 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

2 August 2000 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Taberg, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

43.3006, -75.6096

Aircraft

Piper PA28-180

Registration

N132SF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Albany

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA215

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a second takeoff from the short grass runway at maximum gross weight, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush. Factors in this accident were the airplane's high gross weight and the short grass surface runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a cross county flight with three passengers, the airplane's upper door latch opened and the pilot intended to perform a precautionary landing a nearby airport to secure the door. The pilot landed on a 1,500-foot long private grass strip, secured the door attempted to depart the grass strip to the east. The pilot aborted his first attempt to takeoff, because the airplane was unable to takeoff within a 'reasonable' distance of the end of the runway. During the second attempt, the airplane became airborne about 500 feet before the end of the runway, and the pilot lowered the airplane's nose 'to accelerate while remaining in ground effect.' Near the end of the runway, the pilot pitched the airplane up; however, the airplane began to descend towards a cornfield and impacted terrain. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. According to the pilot 'the airplane was near gross weight, but definitely under gross weight.' He also stated 'once on the ground I should have off loaded all passengers luggage and perhaps some fuel before taking off.' Using the temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting, reported at a nearby airport, the estimated density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be about 2,188 feet. Review of the takeoff distance chart located in the airplane owner's manual, revealed a takeoff distance of 900 feet from a 'paved, level, dry, runway.' The chart did not include takeoff distances for takeoffs from grass surfaces.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.