Piper PA-32R-301T N4360K

Summary

On 16 July 1989 at about 18:43 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N4360K, operated by Willard Grain & Feed, Inc., was involved in an accident near Celina, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 1989 at 18:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Celina, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

33.3201, -96.7800

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N4360K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Willard Grain & Feed, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Houston

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89FA137

2 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. RELATED FACTORS WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY AREA, THE RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS, AND OBSTRUCTIONS/POWER LINES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT ELECTED TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH FROM A 1931 FT GRASS STRIP. THE WIND WAS FROM 080 DEG AT 5 KTS, THE TEMP WAS 93 DEG, & THE DENSITY ALT WAS ABOUT 2925 FT. GRASS ON THE STRIP WAS 4 TO 6 INCHES TALL & WAS WET. THE SOUTH END OF THE STRIP WAS SOFT & WET; THE PLT INITIATED HIS TAKEOFF FROM A POINT WITH 1647 FT OF RWY REMAINING. DRCTLY OFF THE DEP END OF THE STRIP WAS A 32 FT STORAGE TANK WITH A 10 FT WIND SOCK ON TOP. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT WAS BANKED TO THE RGT. IT CLEARED A LOWER MAINT BLDG BY A FEW FT, BUT STRUCK PWR LINES (28 & 33 FT AGL), THEN CRASHED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT WAS LOADED TO ABOUT 12 LBS BELOW THE 3600 LB MAX ALLOWABLE LIMIT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, 1700 FT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE DRG TAKEOFF FROM A DRY, PAVED RWY. DATA PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER INDCD THAT APRX 2340 FT WOULD HAVE BEEN REQUIRED TO TAKEOFF FROM A SOD RWY WITH 6 INCH, WET GRASS. THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 3/17/87.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.