Piper PA-38-112 N9715T

Summary

On 1 June 2024 at about 18:55 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N9715T was involved in an accident near Dalhart, Texas, 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

1 June 2024 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Dalhart, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Dalhart Muni (DHT)

Coordinates

36.0152, -102.5662

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N9715T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dalhart → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA208

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper decision to take off with the airplane over its maximum allowable gross weight at a high density altitude, which degraded its climb performance and led an off airport landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the initial climb the airplane reached 300 ft agl and then began to sink. He made a shallow turn, committed to landing in a field, and then began shutting down the engine, fuel, and electrical systems. During landing in the rough field the landing gear collapsed and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and engine mount. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Based on information provided by the pilot, the airplane was roughly 100 lbs over the maximum allowable gross weight. The meteorological data for the date and time of the accident was used to calculate an estimated density altitude of 6,473 ft. Surface conditions showed a 20 knot direct headwind gusting to 30 knots for the runway being used and an outside air temperature of 29° Celsius. The performance chart for the airplane at maximum gross weight for these conditions showed a climb performance of about 400 feet per minute (fpm). It is likely that the airplane, which was overweight and operating at a high-density altitude, had a lower climb performance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.