Piper PA-28-161 N746RA

Summary

On 28 April 2012 at about 17:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N746RA, operated by Airline Career Academy, was involved in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida, United States. One person was 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

28 April 2012 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Wales, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Wales Municipal Airport (X07)

Coordinates

27.8939, -81.6203

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N746RA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Airline Career Academy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Wales → Lake Wales

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA314

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s decision to depart from an intersection with insufficient runway remaining for takeoff, which resulted in a rejected takeoff and subsequent runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After observing the student pilot’s successful performance of several takeoffs and landings, the flight instructor exited the airplane and briefed the student pilot for solo traffic pattern work. The student pilot taxied to the end of the runway and performed the first takeoff and landing without incident. The student pilot then began his second takeoff at the runway’s intersection with a taxiway, which left about 1,000 feet of runway remaining. The flight instructor advised the student pilot on the common traffic advisory frequency not to perform an intersection departure. The student pilot stated that he did not hear the radio call. The student pilot initiated the takeoff but stated the airplane was not climbing properly and aborted the takeoff. With insufficient runway remaining to stop and with obstacles ahead, the student pilot veered right then collided with bushes. Postaccident examination and an engine run revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failure that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.