Piper PA-24-180 N7573P

Summary

On 29 August 2004 at about 20:20 local time, a Piper PA-24-180 registered N7573P was involved in an accident near Ocean City, New Jersey, United States. 4 people were 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 August 2004 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Ocean City, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Ocean City Muni (26N)

Coordinates

39.2633, -74.6122

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-180

Registration

N7573P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ocean City → Indian Head

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD04CA042

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's deliberate delay of rotation during the takeoff roll, and his subsequent loss of directional control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane veered left immediately after takeoff from runway 24. After departing the runway to the left, the pilot encountered a wind tetrahedron in his path. He attempted to pull up and over fly the tetrahedron, but struck it with the belly of the airplane. He reduced power and completed a landing to the grass infield of the airport. The pilot said that he felt the loss of directional control was due to a phenomenon called "wheelbarrowing," and that the PA-24 is susceptible to its effects. He further stated he felt the event was due to pilot error and was not a maintenance problem. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Airplane Flying Handbook: "Holding the airplane on the ground unnecessarily puts excessive pressure on the nosewheel, (and) may result in wheelbarrowing..."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.