Piper PA-28-180 N9653J

Summary

On 17 July 1999 at about 20:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N9653J was involved in an accident near Butler, Missouri, 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

17 July 1999 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Butler, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Butler Memorial Airport (BUM)

Coordinates

38.2496, -94.3296

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N9653J

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

Day

NTSB number

CHI99LA240

Nobody was injured.

loss of engine power for undetermined reason, and the pilot's inability to maintain clearance from the fence during the forced landing. Factors relating to this accident were the rising terrain, the rough/uneven terrain, and the fence posts.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said that he had just taken off and was approximately 100-150 feet above the ground, when the airplane's engine lost power, but did not stop. The pilot leveled off to see if he could land on the remaining runway. When he lowered the nose of the airplane, the engine began developing power again. The pilot elected to turn left into the traffic pattern. As the airplane turned onto downwind leg, the engine 'gave out again'. The pilot turned the airplane toward the runway and set up for a forced landing to an adjacent field. While descending, the pilot noticed rising terrain in front of him. To avoid stalling the airplane, the pilot said he turned 45 degrees toward the runway to avoid the rise. The pilot then noticed a barb-wire fence in front of him. The pilot said that the terrain beneath him was uneven and rough. The pilot said, 'I managed to keep the airplane flying until I got caught in the fence.' Each wing struck a fence post. The airplane turned around and stopped approximately 80-100 feet beyond the fence. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.