SACRAMENTO, KY, USA
N7695E
CHAMPION 7FC
THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TAKEOFF FROM A DIRT STRIP WHICH HE HAD USED SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS LONGER THAN USUAL, BUT HE WAS NOT TOO CONCERNED ABOUT IT. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AND BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED FORWARD VISIBILITY FROM THE HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE HE LOOKED OUT THE SIDE WINDOW AND THEN NOTICED POWERLINES IN HIS PATH. HE INCREASED PITCH TO CLEAR THE POWERLINES, BUT THE AIRSPEED DECREASED. HE DECREASED PITCH TO REGAIN AIRSPEED AND NOTICED TREES AHEAD. TO AVOID THE TREES, HE TURNED RIGHT BUT THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH THE CROP AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED IN THE CORN FIELD.
On September 29, 1994, at 1900 eastern daylight time, N7695E, a Champion 7FC, owned and piloted by Willard Gribbin of Owensboro, Kentucky, crashed during takeoff from Lowe's Field in Sacramento, Kentucky. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was destroyed. The local, personal flight was operated under 14 CFR 91. The pilot reported that he landed at this airport several times. He stated that he accomplished his preflight and run-up inspections successfully. He stated that airplane was a slow climber and that he was unable to see over the cowl during the climb. The pilot stated that at the point where he normally start his left turn, he lowered the nose to increase his speed when he noticed the power line. He stated that when he looked outside he noticed the trees so he decided to veer to the right and land in the corn field but the right wing struck a tree and spun the aircraft around. According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the pilot was taking off from a private strip which has trees at the departure end of the runway. The FAA Inspector stated that witnesses reported that the airplane tried to clear the trees at the end of the runway, and that the airplane veered to the left after departure. The airplane touched down in a corn field. According to the FAA, the procedure for taking off from this runway is to veer to the right after takeoff to avoid the trees.
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate obstacle clearance.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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