Piper PA-28-140 N6111W

Summary

On 5 January 2023 at about 16:04 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N6111W was involved in an accident near Paris, Kentucky, United States. 3 people were on board and one 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

5 January 2023 at 16:04

Classification

Accident

Location

Paris, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Wild Blue (31KY)

Coordinates

38.2098, -84.2530

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N6111W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Waddy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA23LA105

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s loss of control after encountering changing wind conditions during the initial climb, which resulted in descent and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two passengers were departing from a 2,800-ft-long turf runway and reported that prior to initiating the takeoff the wind was light and variable. During the initial climb after takeoff, and once the airplane had cleared a ridge and trees that ran parallel to the runway, the pilot reported that there was a “sudden windshear that caused a reduction in lift.” The pilot reduced the airplane’s pitch attitude in an attempt to regain lift, but the airplane continued to descend. The pilot was unable to arrest the descent and the airplane subsequently impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation at an airport 9 miles away noted wind at 10 knots, with no gusts or other convective activity described.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.