Piper PA-28RT-201 N3023K

Summary

On 24 December 2001 at about 15:55 local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201 registered N3023K was involved in an accident near Prescott, Arizona, 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 December 2001 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Prescott, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Ernest A. Love Field (PRC)

Coordinates

34.6200, -112.4198

Aircraft

Piper PA-28RT-201

Registration

N3023K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prescott → Sacramento

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX02LA054

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate removal of snow and ice from the surfaces of the airplane before takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff the airplane would not climb and, with insufficient runway remaining to abort the takeoff, the pilot made an intentional gear-up landing at the departure end of the runway. Airport personnel who responded to the scene found most of the wing surfaces were covered with 1/8- to 3/8-inch of snow and ice. The pilot reported that he spent 1.5 hours with a broom and a cloth removing snow and "most of [the] ice" from the fuselage and wings. He also reported there were no mechanical malfunctions and stated "I must assume I hadn't enough lift due to ice particles."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.