Thomas OUTBACK N74PT

Summary

On 3 July 2002 at about 20:10 local time, a Thomas OUTBACK registered N74PT was involved in an accident near Edenton, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 July 2002 at 20:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Edenton, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Houghton Point (NC56)

Coordinates

36.0767, -76.4650

Aircraft

Thomas OUTBACK

Registration

N74PT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Edenton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA02LA127

2 people died.

The pilot/owner's failure to establish an adequate climb rate and his failure to maintain obstacle clearance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness stated that he observed the airplane as it was getting ready to takeoff at the pilot/owner's private airstrip, and the engine sounded as if it was "missing or sputtering", and not as it had sounded on previous occasions. He said that as the airplane departed it sounded as if it was loosing power. As it proceeded down the runway, the witness said it started moving to the left and it impacted trees at the end of the runway. The airplane descended and impacting the ground in a thicket of trees, about 200 feet off the departure end of the runway, and a fire ensued. The fire engulfed the airplane and consumed the all except for its frame and engine. The FAA inspector who responded to the scene of the accident stated that the pilot/owner and the airplane mechanic were both in the accident airplane, and had removed the previous propeller and installed another, and were embarking on a flight after maintenance had been performed. On August 5, 2002, under the supervision of an FAA inspector, an FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic with an inspection authorization rating, conducted an examination of the engine. The examination revealed no evidence of preaccident mechanical failure or malfunction. Damage consistent with exposure to heat from the postcrash fire. On August 14, 2002, the propeller was examined at the propeller manufacturer's facility under the supervision of FAA inspectors, and the examination revealed that the propeller had been set to the low pitch limit. According to the manufacturer of the kit, the "Outback", and it had a maximum takeoff gross weight of 1,550 pounds, an empty weight was about 950 pounds, and when loaded with fuel, carried twenty seven and a half gallons. As configured the Outback would have had a ground roll of about 750 feet. The runway at the owner's private strip was about 2400 feet long, and about 56 feet wide.N74PT was taking off to the southeast at the time of the accident.The density altitude was about 2,100 feet at the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.