Piper PA 25-235 N6803Z

Summary

On 3 July 2016 at about 21:50 local time, a Piper PA 25-235 registered N6803Z, operated by Kazs Flying Service Ltd., was involved in an accident near Arlington, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and one 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

3 July 2016 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Arlington, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Kazs Flying Service (PVT)

Coordinates

43.3333, -89.5208

Aircraft

Piper PA 25-235

Registration

N6803Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Kazs Flying Service Ltd.

Operating rule

Part 137: Agricultural

Purpose of flight

Aerial Application

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Arlington → Arlington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16LA255

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to establish proper airspeed and angle-of-attack during takeoff with the airplane at its maximum gross weight in elevated density altitude and gusting tailwind conditions, 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

The commercial pilot reported that he was conducting an agricultural application flight with the airplane at its maximum gross takeoff weight. He added that, after taking off toward the west, the airplane settled into a cornfield. He stated that there were no failures or malfunctions with the airplane preceding the accident, that the engine was running "fine," and that there were no flight control anomalies at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that the prevailing wind was from the east gusting to 18 knots, which resulted in a gusting tailwind during the takeoff. The density altitude was calculated to be about 3,000 ft. It is likely that the combined effects of the airplane operating at its maximum gross weight, the elevated density altitude, and the gusting tailwind resulted in the airplane becoming airborne at an airspeed that could not be maintained outside of ground effect. The pilot subsequently failed to maintain the proper angle-of-attack as he attempted to climb the airplane out of ground effect, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.