Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA28 near Lyndonville, VT — 2017-09-02

Final reportERA17LA312
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Date
2017-09-02
Location
Lyndonville, VT, USA
Airport
CDA
Aircraft
PIPER PA28
Registration
N132AV
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of airplane control during takeoff.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before an earlier flight that day. Before departing on the accident flight with two passengers, he cautioned a friend and fellow pilot about how his airplane "needed more time to build speed" during the takeoff roll. After taxi, the pilot positioned the airplane on the runway for departure and performed a flight control deflection check. He stated that there was corresponding movement with the flight control surfaces but that the resistance in the controls was light; his concern led him to perform the check eight times before takeoff. The pilot stated that after rotation, the airplane was unresponsive, or was slow to respond, in the roll axis when he applied aileron corrections. He closed the throttle and performed a forced landing to the grassy area beyond the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, cabin, empennage, and tail section. During postaccident examination of the airplane, flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces; however, the left aileron was significantly impact damaged, and a break was noted in its control push-pull rod. Further examination of the control rod revealed that the fracture features were consistent with an overstress fracture; there was no evidence of a preexisting crack. Because the postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the airplane during takeoff.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have aborted takeoff after initial control issues were noted.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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