Piper PA-18-150 N3491Z

Summary

On 7 October 2011 at about 23:15 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3491Z was involved in an accident near Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

7 October 2011 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Elizabethton, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Elizabethton Municipal (0A9)

Coordinates

36.3711, -82.1733

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N3491Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elizabethton → Elizabethton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12CA015

2 people had minor injuries.

The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After an unremarkable preflight inspection and preflight engine run-up, the pilot, who was a friend of the pilot/part owner in the passenger seat, departed with a short-field technique and entered a steep climb. He then pushed forward on the flight control stick to lower the nose to a straight and level flight attitude; the airplane then began to sink. The pilot pushed the control stick forward to gain airspeed and ensured that the engine was at full power. The left wing dipped, followed by the right wing, which dropped sharply. The pilot applied full left rudder and full left aileron, and the right wing started to recover; however, there was insufficient altitude and the airplane impacted the ground. Witnesses stated that they observed the airplane take off and climb in about a 45-degree nose-high attitude. They further stated that, as the airplane gained altitude, it struggled to gain airspeed as it climbed to about 100 feet above ground level. The wings dipped and wobbled before the airplane struck the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.