Piper PA-28-180 N4796L

Summary

On 15 March 1999 at about 01:03 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N4796L was involved in an accident near Truckee, California, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 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

15 March 1999 at 01:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Truckee, California, United States

Nearest airport

Truckee-Tahoe (TRK)

Coordinates

39.3307, -120.2410

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N4796L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Santa Rosa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA120

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to obtain and maintain the proper climb airspeed during the initial takeoff climb, including his failure to anticipate the gust factor and density altitude effects in determining a safe airspeed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot and his family were planning on departing the airport, which had a density altitude of 6,400 feet msl. The airport was reporting that the winds were from 240 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 19 knots at the time of the departure on runway 28. Eyewitnesses to the accident said the airplane appeared to be slow and not climbing in a very nose high attitude after liftoff. Additionally, the eyewitnesses all stated that it appeared that the airplane stalled with the wings wavering side to side, before the left wing dropped right before ground impact. It was later determined that the airplane lifted off approximately 2/10 mile from the departure end of the runway. According to the manufacturer, if the airplane took off with zero flaps and full power at 85 knots, the airplane should have climbed out at a 450-foot-per-minute rate of climb. The pilot estimated his airspeed at 70 knots when he lifted the airplane off the ground. The aircraft was recovered after the accident and an engine examination and operational check was conducted. Magneto to engine timing was checked and found to be within manufacturer's limits. Additionally, the throttle and mixture controls were observed to operate to their full travel limits, and continuity was established to the cockpit. The engine was run-up to full throttle with no abnormal condition noted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.