PINE ISLAND, FL, USA
N888HA
PIPER PA-28-140D
THE FLIGHT WAS DEPARTING TO THE WEST ON A 2,100 FOOT GRASS RUNWAY. THE WINDS, AS REPORTED BY THE NEAREST WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION, WERE FROM THE EAST AT 6 KNOTS AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 95 F. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR GROSS WEIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NORMALLY, CLIMBED TO 100 FEET, AND THEN LOST LIFT AND CRASHED INTO THE TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. PERFORMANCE CHARTS CONTAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT MANUAL INDICATED THE FLIGHT WOULD NEED 2,300 FEET TAKEOFF DISTANCE TO CLEAR A 50-FOOT OBSTACLE. THESE CHARTS DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE TAILWIND AND THE USE OF A GRASS RUNWAY WHICH WOULD INCREASE TAKEOFF DISTANCE.
On June 13, 1994, about 1402 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140D, N888HA, registered to Huffman Aviation, Inc., collided with trees during takeoff from Morningstar Airport, Pine Land, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot received minor injuries. The passenger was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated the aircraft departed normally and climbed to about 100 feet, at which time it "began to loose lift." As the aircraft descended toward trees he turned toward a partial clearing. He then reduced engine power and flared into the small trees. The aircraft came to rest in a 45-degree nose-down attitude at the departure end of runway 27. The passenger stated they had landed to the east, turned around, and were taking off to the west when the accident occurred. They lifted off about half way down the runway. The aircraft began to climb and he remembered seeing 75 feet on the altimeter. Suddenly "it felt like the wind came out from under the wings." The aircraft began to descend. The engine did not quit and was struggling along. They hit a tree as they descended and the aircraft flipped nose down. After the aircraft came to rest he got out and helped the pilot out. He did not remember anything about the winds and stated that there were no thunderstorms in the area. The flight was departing on runway 27, a 2,100-foot grass strip. The winds which were reported at Page Field, Ft. Myers, Florida, 13 miles to the east of Morningstar Airport, were from 090 degrees at 6 knots. The Piper Aircraft flight manual for the PA-28-140D indicates the aircraft would need 2,300 feet takeoff distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle for the aircraft weight and density altitude conditions at the time of the accident. The chart did not take into account the use of a grass runway and departure with a tail wind.(See flight manual charts.)
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE DATA PERTINENT TO THE PRESENT CONDITIONS, HIS ATTEMPTED EXCESSIVE CLIMB RATE FOR CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE IN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF. THIS RESULTED IN THE INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH OF THE AIRCRAFT, UNCONTROLLED DESCENT, AND IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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