PIPER PA-36-285
Havre, MT — June 23, 2011
Event Information
| Date | June 23, 2011 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | WPR11CA281 |
| Event ID | 20110623X74009 |
| Location | Havre, MT |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 48.54055, -109.67306 |
| Airport | None - Road |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | PIPER |
| Model | PA-36-285 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 137 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Full Narrative
The pilot had just picked up a load for aerial spraying operations and was taking off on a road. He accelerated to approximately 72 mph with 15 degrees of flaps. The airplane lifted off the road momentarily before settling back down onto the ground. He then lost directional control of the airplane and exited to the left of the road, colliding with a fence. The airplane came to rest approximately 15 to 20 feet from the road. The pilot reported that he thought he may have hit the wake of a second airplane that was working in the area and had taken off before him three minutes prior to his takeoff attempt. According to a weather reporting facility located 10 miles to the south, the wind at the time of the accident was calm and the temperature was 25 degrees Celsius. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe and engine that would have precluded normal flight.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.