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January 12, 1984 · Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · N36791

Basye, VA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
January 12, 1984
Injury Outcomes
4 injuries (4 serious injuries)
Location
Basye, VA
Aircraft
Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30
Tail Number
N36791
Operator
Flight America
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL84FA080

After the acft landed, slush was observed to have accumulated under the wings & lower aft fuselage & was freezing. The acft was parked with the tail facing the sun, but none of the arpt personnel noticed whether the sun had melted the ice. The plt indicated he would return by 1630, but when the arpt manager was preparing to leave at 1715, the plt had not yet returned. Ice refroze on the rwy. The arpt manager notified the FSS & left a message on the phone answering machine that the arpt was closed. Also, to discourage operation on the icy rwy, he did not turn on the rwy lights. The plt returned at 1900 & elected to make a night departure. He reported that during takeoff, the acft lifted off, but would not continue climbing. Shortly thereafter, the acft collided with trees & the roof of a building, then crashed & burned. An exam of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical problem. Another plt noted a layer of frost on the leading edge of his acft's wings & elected not to fly. He believed that there was frost on N36791.

Full Narrative

AFTER THE ACFT LANDED, SLUSH WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE ACCUMULATED UNDER THE WINGS & LOWER AFT FUSELAGE & WAS FREEZING. THE ACFT WAS PARKED WITH THE TAIL FACING THE SUN, BUT NONE OF THE ARPT PERSONNEL NOTICED WHETHER THE SUN HAD MELTED THE ICE. THE PLT INDICATED HE WOULD RETURN BY 1630, BUT WHEN THE ARPT MANAGER WAS PREPARING TO LEAVE AT 1715, THE PLT HAD NOT YET RETURNED. ICE REFROZE ON THE RWY. THE ARPT MANAGER NOTIFIED THE FSS & LEFT A MESSAGE ON THE PHONE ANSWERING MACHINE THAT THE ARPT WAS CLOSED. ALSO, TO DISCOURAGE OPERATION ON THE ICY RWY, HE DID NOT TURN ON THE RWY LIGHTS. THE PLT RETURNED AT 1900 & ELECTED TO MAKE A NIGHT DEPARTURE. HE REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE ACFT LIFTED OFF, BUT WOULD NOT CONTINUE CLIMBING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES & THE ROOF OF A BUILDING, THEN CRASHED& BURNED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM. ANOTHER PLT NOTED A LAYER OF FROST ON THE LEADING EDGE OF HIS ACFT'S WINGS & ELECTED NOT TO FLY. HE BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS FROST ON N36791.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:25 EST
Nearest AirportSKYBRYCE (1nm SW)
Runway23
Runway Length2240 ft
Runway Width50 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30
Tail NumberN36791
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorFlight America
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-540-K1G5D · Reciprocating · 300
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary4 injuries (4 serious injuries)
Fatal0
Serious4
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total4
Crew 1Age 33 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightBright Night
WindCalm
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point18 C / 1 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time23:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data