Pilot Debrief

Piper PA28 near San Antonio, TX — 2020-07-25

Final reportCEN20LA305
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Date
2020-07-25
Location
San Antonio, TX, USA
Airport
SSF
Aircraft
Piper PA28
Registration
N716RL
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper decision to take off in an airplane over maximum gross weight and with a tailwind, which prevented the airplane from climbing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot, a flight instructor who operated a business at the airport, was taking the two passengers on a local discovery flight to see if they wanted to pursue flight lessons. After takeoff, the pilot was unable to climb the airplane above the tall trees at the end of the runway, obstacles he was likely aware of due to his familiarity with the airport. Airport surveillance video showed that the airplane lifted off after a 1,700-ft-long ground roll and was in a nose-high attitude but not climbing and headed toward the trees, after which the airplane was out of the camera’s view. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 2,400 ft from the departure end of the runway and was destroyed by impact damage and a postimpact fire. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. A weight and balance calculation for the accident flight showed that the airplane was operating about 73 lbs over its maximum gross weight of 2,150 lbs. The pilot elected to depart on a runway with a gusty tailwind component of 4 to 7 knots. The airplane’s observed takeoff ground roll of 1,700 ft was 50% longer than the 1,125 ft ground roll predicted by the airplane’s performance charts for a no-wind takeoff at gross weight, indicating that the over gross weight condition and the tail wind significantly degraded the airplane’s performance. It is likely that the pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane over maximum gross weight and a gusty tailwind prevented the airplane from climbing or maintaining altitude.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff due to excessive weight and tailwind conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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