Fort Bragg Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Bragg, California 95437
Friday, September 16, 1994 18:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE STALLED ABOUT 3/4 MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED AT 80 KNOTS AS THE PILOT REACHED FOR THE LANDING GEAR LEVER. THE AIRPLANE'S LEFT WING DROPPED TO A 10- DEGREE ANGLE OF BANK, FOLLOWED BY A 60-DEGREE RIGHT ROLL. THE AIRPLANE THEN SETTLED AND COLLIDED WITH TREES IN A 30-DEGREE RIGHT BANK. THE AIRPORT IS LOCATED IN A CLEAR AREA SURROUNDED BY TALL TREES. THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING AN OFFSHORE BREEZE FROM HIS RIGHT ONCE THE AIRPLANE CLEARED THE TOPS OF THE TREES. ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT QUANTIFY THE WIND SPEED, HE DID STATE THAT THE WINDS ON THE AIRPORT SURFACE WERE CALM, WHILE THE LOW LEVEL CLOUDS WERE MOVING VERY FAST AT THE WESTERN BOUNDARY OF THE TREE LINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to adequately anticipate and compensate for the existing crosswind/windshear conditions during the takeoff initial climb.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/16/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FORT BRAGG
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95437
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FORT BRAGG AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 8Q3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 160
Airport Elevation 71
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1813 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 163
Weather Observation Facility ID ACV
Elevation of weather observation facility 218
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 95
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1777
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 16 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30150
NTSB Number LAX94LA366
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28R-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-201
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7837312
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 13 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 45
Airframe Hours 5165
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LYONS, MARK F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3329 CORNING DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95118
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUNDANCE FLYING CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 51807
Operator City PALO ALTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94303
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SQL
Destination City SAN CARLOS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 15
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --