Piper PA-28-140 N9581W

Summary

On 23 June 2001 at about 20:30 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N9581W, operated by Cable E. Wells, was involved in an accident near Haines, Alaska, United States. 3 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

23 June 2001 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Haines, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.2192, -135.3042

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N9581W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Cable E. Wells

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Haines → Haines

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC01LA073

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff. Factors in the accident were soft terrain, and the pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private certificated pilot was taking off from a soft area of tidal beach. Following a soft-field takeoff, the pilot said he allowed the airplane to climb to about 20 feet above the ground, and then held the airplane in ground effect to build airspeed. He said the airplane then encountered a downdraft, and settled onto the ground. The pilot aborted the takeoff, pulled the engine power to idle, raised the flaps, and applied maximum braking. The airplane skidded about 70 yards, and went over a small berm at the end of the takeoff area. The main landing gear struck a log, and the airplane came to rest against a small hill. The pilot said the right main landing gear was torn out of the wing, and the left main landing gear scissor was broken, allowing the left main gear strut to fall out of its housing. The leading edge of the right wing, and the right flap were also damaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.