Piper PA 28 N4543R

Summary

On 8 June 2017 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA 28 registered N4543R was involved in an accident near Auburn, Indiana, 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

8 June 2017 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Mooney Field (22IN)

Coordinates

41.2072, -85.0033

Aircraft

Piper PA 28

Registration

N4543R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Auburn

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA336

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to continue to attempt to take off despite the airplane’s inability to attain a positive climb rate, which resulted in little runway remaining, and his subsequent decision to turn off the runway, which resulted in a collision with a barn.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he attempted to take off in the airplane from his turf airstrip. He attempted to force the airplane into the air, and after a brief ascent, the airplane descended to the ground and touched down hard. The pilot continued the sequence of lifting off and then touching down again until he determined that he would not be able to clear the trees at the end of the runway. He made a left turn, and the airplane traveled through two fields, hit a ditch, and collided with a barn. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aircraft Accident Report, the pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had aborted the takeoff after the first bounce. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.