Piper PA-28-181 N3002T

Summary

On 29 September 2004 at about 01:45 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N3002T, operated by LAB, was involved in an accident near Haines, Alaska, 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

29 September 2004 at 01:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Haines, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

59.2439, -135.5236

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N3002T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

LAB

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Haines → Juneau

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC04CA119

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a premature liftoff and subsequent uncontrolled descent and collision with the runway.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot of the VFR positioning flight reported that during the takeoff roll the airplane rapidly and prematurely became airborne and began to yaw right. It began to descend rapidly, and continued to yaw. The airplane bounced on the runway and became airborne again. The pilot climbed to about 1,200 feet, where he noticed damage to the top of the left wing. He elected to fly the airplane to the destination airport where maintenance and other services were available. About 10 miles from the departure airport, the left main landing gear partially separated from the wing, and remained attached only by the hydraulic brake line. The pilot returned to the departure airport and landed. The pilot said during the takeoff the winds were variable from 070 degrees to 130 degrees at 15-20 knots with gusts from 25-30 knots. There were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the accident. The FAA airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane said that during the bounced takeoff the left main landing gear attachments were sheered from the wing spar, and that during the subsequent emergency landing the outboard left wing section and aileron were damaged.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.