Piper PA-60-601A N135TS

Summary

On 29 July 1995 at about 14:30 local time, a Piper PA-60-601A registered N135TS was involved in an accident near Fulshear, Texas, 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

29 July 1995 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fulshear, Texas, United States

Coordinates

29.6706, -95.9199

Aircraft

Piper PA-60-601A

Registration

N135TS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Carlsbad

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA320

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKE OFF. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TOWARD THE MALFUNCTIONING LANDING GEAR, HIS INTENTIONAL SHUTDOWN OF OPERATIONAL ENGINES, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

PRIOR TO TAKE OFF, A 'NORMAL RUNUP INDICATED [THAT] ALL SYSTEMS [WERE] PERFORMING AS EXPECTED.' PRIOR TO RELEASING THE BRAKES FOR TAKE OFF, BOTH 'ENGINES WERE BROUGHT TO FULL POWER.' AFTER ROTATION THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETRACT THE GEAR WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 'SLUGGISH WITH THE GEAR DOWN', AND A SECOND ATTEMPT TO RAISE THE GEAR WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LANDING GEAR 'HIT A FENCE' BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THEN STRUCK A GRAVEL RAILROAD BERM. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT, THE AIRPLANE WAS 'STILL FLYING IN A SLUGGISH MANNER' AND ELECTED TO 'SHUT THE THROTTLES DOWN' AND LAND IN A FIELD WITH TALL VEGETATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.