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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

June 17, 1992 · Piper PA-38-112 · N2363K

Catherine, KS

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 17, 1992
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Catherine, KS
Aircraft
Piper PA-38-112
Tail Number
N2363K
Operator
Riches Air Service
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
CHI92LA180

The private pilot was performing turns around a point, his grandmother's house, when his passenger became ill. The pilot landed the airplane in a rough pasture area near the home. The ill passenger deplaned and a relative of the pilot enplaned. During the takeoff roll the pilot stated the airplane encountered clumps of tall grass and ruts. According to the pilot, "I thought we were just about to become airborne when we hit a big rutt, this slowed us down significantly to not enable us to become airborne, but not slow enough to stop." The pilot attempted to make the airplane fly over a fence at the end of the 1/4 mile field. The airplane became airborne and its main landing gear tires struck the fence. The airplane collided with the ground shortly thereafter. The post accident investigation revealed the pilot's operating handbook did not provide information which would factor sod field operations into the takeoff distance calculations.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACCIDENT WERE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN SELECTED BY THE PILOT AND AIRPLANE CLEARANCE OVER THE FENCE NOT ATTAINED BY THE PILOT.

Full Narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS PERFORMING TURNS AROUND A POINT, HIS GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE, WHEN HIS PASSENGER BECAME ILL. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A ROUGH PASTURE AREA NEAR THE HOME. THE ILL PASSENGER DEPLANED AND A RELATIVE OF THE PILOT ENPLANED. DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL THE PILOT STATED THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED CLUMPS OF TALL GRASS AND RUTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'I THOUGHT WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO BECOME AIRBORNE WHEN WE HIT A BIG RUTT, THIS SLOWED US DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY TO NOT ENABLE US TO BECOME AIRBORNE, BUT NOT SLOW ENOUGH TO STOP.' THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE THE AIRPLANE FLY OVER A FENCE AT THE END OF THE 1/4 MILE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR TIRES STRUCK THE FENCE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK DID NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION WHICH WOULD FACTOR SOD FIELD OPERATIONS INTO THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE CALCULATIONS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time21:00 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-38-112
Tail NumberN2363K
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorRiches Air Service
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-235-L2A · Reciprocating · 110
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 22 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDusk
Wind180° @ 20 kt, gusting 25 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point68 F
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time00:54
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data