Piper PA-28-140 N8261N

Summary

On 4 September 1995 at about 02:20 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N8261N was involved in an accident near Mt Pleasant, Utah, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 September 1995 at 02:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Mt Pleasant, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Mount Pleasant (43U)

Coordinates

39.5506, -111.3901

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N8261N

Category

Airplane

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

Dusk

NTSB number

SEA95LA207

4 people had minor injuries.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING CLIMBOUT. FACTORS INCLUDE WIND SHEAR AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT LOADED HIS AIRCRAFT TO WITHIN 50 POUNDS OF GROSS WEIGHT AND ATTEMPTED A SHORT-FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURE AT A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8000 FEET. AFTER LIFT-OFF HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS FROM 25 DEGREES TO 10 DEGREES AND THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE, BUT NOTED THAT HIS AIRSPEED HAD DECAYED ABOUT 15 MPH, AND THE STALL WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. HE LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN AIRSPEED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN AIRSPEED OR RECOVER FROM AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. HE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO AVOID SOME OBSTACLES AND TERRAIN, BUT CRASHED IN A HOSPITAL PARKING LOT. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO WIND SHEAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.