Piper PA-38-112 N2412D

Summary

On 16 June 2016 at about 16:06 local time, a Piper PA-38-112 registered N2412D was involved in an accident near Madison, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 June 2016 at 16:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Madison, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Madison Municipal Airport (IMS)

Coordinates

38.7464, -85.4706

Aircraft

Piper PA-38-112

Registration

N2412D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1978

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madison → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN16FA220

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper climb rate after takeoff and the subsequent collision with transmission line structures.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot had departed the airport in visual meteorological conditions, when, about ½ mile from the departure end of the runway, the airplane collided with a power transmission line support structure that was about 80 ft tall. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. There were no known witnesses to the accident, but a witness who saw the airplane take off stated that its altitude was low during the initial climb. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the months before the accident, the pilot flew with a flight instructor on two separate occasions for a flight review. The instructor stated that the pilot's skills were "very rusty" and that the pilot had difficulty controlling the airplane's airspeed, pitch, and landing flare. The instructor did not endorse the pilot for a flight review and recommended that he receive additional dual instruction; however, it is unknown if the pilot followed this recommendation because his personal logbook was not located after the accident. Given the lack of preimpact mechanical anomalies, it is likely that the pilot did not maintain an appropriate climb rate after takeoff, which resulted in collision with the power line structure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.