Honesdale, PA, USA
N3025L
Piper PA32RT
The pilot and four passengers boarded the airplane for a personal cross-country flight. Although the pilot reported that the airplane veered to the left uncontrollably during the takeoff roll, security camera video showed that the airplane tracked the runway heading until the airplane’s pitch attitude increased to the point where a tail strike occurred about 1,660 ft down the 2,986-ft-long runway. The nose of the airplane then pitched down rapidly; the nose landing gear collapsed; and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway in a nose-low attitude, struck vegetation and terrain, and came to rest. No evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions was found during postaccident examination of the airplane. According to the pilot’s preflight performance calculations, the airplane was about 127.3 pounds below maximum gross weight; the density altitude was 1,227 ft; and the airplane’s estimated takeoff ground roll was 1,500 to 1,600 ft. Review of the weather conditions present at the time of the accident indicated that the density altitude was 2,622 ft. According to the performance charts for the airplane, at a density altitude of 2,622 ft and the airplane weight calculated by the pilot, the airplane’s takeoff ground roll would be about 1,630 ft. A Koch chart indicated that for the accident conditions as compared to standard temperature sea level values, a 28% increase in takeoff distance should have been anticipated by the pilot along with a 21% decrease in climb rate.
On August 1, 2020, about 0750 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, N3025L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. The pilot and four passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he was planning to fly from Cherry Ridge Airport (N30), Honesdale, Pennsylvania, to Ocean City Municipal Airport (OXB), Ocean City, Maryland. Before takeoff from runway 36, he confirmed that the electric fuel boost pump was on, and the mixture and propeller controls were full forward. He increased engine power to full throttle with the brakes held, then released the brakes and initiated the takeoff. He noticed the airplane was veering to the left, which did not correct with right rudder input. The veering became worse as the airplane accelerated. About halfway down the runway, at 70 to 71 knots, which was below rotation speed, the airplane was near the left edge of the runway, and he attempted to get airborne by pulling back on the control wheel. The airplane may have gotten slightly airborne but did not rotate. He felt the tail "bump" and noted the airplane was off the left side of the runway. The airplane subsequently came to rest in grass with the nose landing gear collapsed. Review of security camera footage indicated that the pilot back taxied to the end of the runway before takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane appeared to be tracking the runway heading until the airplane’s pitch attitude increased to the point where a tail strike occurred about 1,660 ft down the runway from where the takeoff roll began. The nose of the airplane then pitched down rapidly; the nose landing gear collapsed; and the airplane veered off the left side of the runway in a nose low attitude, struck vegetation and terrain, and came to rest. No evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions was found during examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. Review of the FAA Digital Chart Supplement for N30 indicated that the field elevation was 1,357 ft above mean sea level. Runway 36 was 2,986-ft-long, had a 0.6% uphill gradient, and had trees off the departure end. Review of the pilot’s weight and balance loading form submitted on September 8, 2020, indicated that the airplane’s takeoff weight was 3,472.7 pounds, which was 127.3 pounds below maximum gross weight. Review of the pilot’s performance planning indicated that he calculated the density altitude as 1,227 ft and estimated the airplane’s takeoff ground roll as 1,500 to 1,600 ft. According to the weather report from Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport (MPO) located about 24 nautical miles from N30, the temperature at the time of the accident was about 22°C. Using this temperature, the density altitude at N30 was calculated to be 2,622 ft. According to the performance charts for the airplane, with no wind, at a density altitude of 2,622 ft, and an airplane weight of 3,472.7 pounds, the airplane’s takeoff ground roll would be about 1,630 ft. A Koch chart indicated that for the accident conditions, there would be a 28% increase in takeoff distance and a 21% decrease in rate of climb as compared to standard temperature sea level values. Under these conditions, a 2,986-ft-long runway would be equivalent to a standard temperature sea level runway length of about 2,330 ft.
The pilot’s premature rotation for takeoff, which resulted in a tail strike and subsequent runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning, which failed to accurately determine and account for the effects of high-density altitude on performance.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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