VINCENNES, IN, USA
N6843J
Piper PA-28-151
The pilot was executing a soft field takeoff when the airplane settled back onto the grass airstrip after lifting off. The airplane became airborne again and veered off the left side of the airstrip where it contacted a cable fence (30 inch high steel pipes with a cable running through them). The airplane came to rest on a northerly heading, 976 feet from the runway end markers at the departure end of runway 27.
On June 12, 1999, at 1325 eastern standard time (est), a Piper PA-28-151, N6843J, operated by a private pilot collided with a cable fence and the terrain while taking off on runway 27 (3,450' x 150', turf) at the O'Neal Airport, Vincennes, Indiana. The pilot was not injured and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The flight was originating at the time of the accident with a destination of Indianapolis, Indiana. The pilot reported he was making a soft field takeoff when the accident occurred. He stated, "... held back pressure to rotate and as I started to level off to increase airspeed the airplane seemed to lose ground effect and as the aircraft settled back to the ground right wing first, it bounced, and right wing became airborne with the left down and the aircraft started to yaw to the left. ... I saw the steel poles and cables as trying to correct the situation attempted to jump the obstacle and uneventful because of slow speed... ." The airplane continued off the left side of the airstrip where it contacted a cable fence (30 inch high steel pipes with a cable running through them). The airplane came to rest on a northerly heading, 976 feet from the runway end markers at the departure end of runway 27. The pilot reported that the airplane was operating normally during the takeoff. Flight control continuity was verified by Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors who responded to the accident site.
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the soft field takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were inadequate airspeed and the cable fence which was contacted.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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