Piper PA-32R-300 N5661F

Summary

On 21 May 1990 at about 14:09 local time, a Piper PA-32R-300 registered N5661F, operated by Burgess & Niple, was involved in an accident near Frankfort, Kentucky, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 May 1990 at 14:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Frankfort, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Capital City (FFT)

Coordinates

38.1899, -84.8600

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-300

Registration

N5661F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Burgess & Niple

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Owensboro

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90FA115

6 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OPERATE THE AIRCRAFT WITHIN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMITATIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT AND HIS FIVE PASSENGERS WERE ATTEMPTING TO DEPART RUNWAY 24 AT FRANKFORT, KENTUCKY. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, DURING THE TAKEOFF THE TAIL APPEARED TO BE DRAGGING THE RUNWAY, AND SPARKS WERE OBSERVED COMING FROM THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING WITH A NOSE UP PITCH ATTITUDE OF ABOUT 30 DEGREES AND HANGING ON THE PROPELLER. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE RUNNING SMOOTHLY, AND AT A HIGH RPM. AT ABOUT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A LEFT TURN, ROLLED INVERTED AND CRASHED. WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT'S CENTER OF GRAVITY EXCEEDED THE AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.