Harvey, ND, USA
N21533
Piper PA-24
The airplane impacted terrain during takeoff when it came over the edge of a drop off located at the end of a 1,400 foot long grass runway. The pilot stated that during the takeoff roll, the airplane did not accelerate and he lowered the nose an additional amount in attempt to gain acceleration. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.
On June 13, 2003, at 1445 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24, N21533, owned and piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain on takeoff from a private airstrip about two miles south of Harvey, North Dakota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight departed about 1445. The pilot stated that he started the takeoff roll on a north-south runway (1,400 feet by 75 feet, grass) with one notch of flaps selected. During the takeoff, he stated that he rotated and lowered the nose to accelerate, but the airplane would not accelerate. He then lowered the nose an additional amount, and the airplane "washed" to the left slightly and still was not accelerating. The airplane came over the edge of a drop off at the end of the runway and began to settle. He tried to make a normal landing but the nose landing gear collapsed and the right main landing gear folded, spinning the airplane in a counterclockwise direction. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident.
The aborted takeoff not performed by the pilot. The inadequate short field takeoff procedure by the pilot and the short grass runway were contributing factors.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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