Piper PA28R N3796T

Summary

On 4 May 2023 at about 17:15 local time, a Piper PA28R registered N3796T was involved in an accident near Defuniak Springs, 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

4 May 2023 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Defuniak Springs, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

DeFuniak Springs Airport (54J)

Coordinates

30.7334, -86.1552

Aircraft

Piper PA28R

Registration

N3796T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA217

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taking off in a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a berm. Contributing was the automated weather briefing which failed to include accurate wind information.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot listened to the recorded weather information then took off on the airport’s only paved runway with a direct crosswind of about 5 kts. He described that during the initial climb, the airplane encountered either a downdraft or increasing wind over trees next to the runway that resulted in the airplane rolling left. The pilot attempted to counteract the roll; however, the airplane settled off the sloped left side of the runway, impacted a berm, bounced up, and came to rest on the taxiway. The left wing was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident communication with the Federal Aviation Administration revealed that the airport manager’s weather reporting system included gusting wind that was not reported by the automated weather system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.