Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 18 near Greenville, MI — 2016-09-11

Final reportCEN16LA366
Sign in to save
Date
2016-09-11
Location
Greenville, MI, USA
Airport
6D6
Aircraft
PIPER PA 18
Registration
N3286Z
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's premature turn during the takeoff climb and subsequent turn to avoid trees, which resulted in his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, during the takeoff climb for the personal cross-country flight, he turned the airplane too early and at too low of an altitude to clear the trees ahead. The pilot then turned the airplane to avoid the trees, and it stalled. As he continued to try to maneuver the airplane away from the trees, the airplane entered a secondary stall, descended, and impacted terrain in a vertical attitude. There were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane, engine, or related systems that would have precluded normal operation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have maintained a straight climb to avoid trees instead of turning.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

Related mishaps