TRUCKEE, CA, USA
N5777F
PIPER PA28-140
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB ACHIEVE AN ABOVE GROUND ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 300 FEET. IT THEN BEGAN A DESCENT AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ABOUT ONE QUARTER OF A MILE BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 28. THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE EXAMINED. FUEL WAS FOUND THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM AND NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS IDENTIFIED. BOTH PROPELLER BLADES EXHIBITED LEADING EDGE DAMAGE AND CHORDWISE SCORING. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 7100 FEET AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND TO BE LOADED WITHIN 100 POUNDS OF MAX GROSS WEIGHT. REVIEW OF THE PREDICTED RATE OF CLIMB DATA IN THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COULD EXPECT A MAXIMUM RATE OF CLIMB OF 290 FEET PER MINUTE.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND THE INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A STALL MUSH WHICH LED TO A LOSS OF CONTROL AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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