Garrett County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oakland, Maryland 21550
Tuesady, September 20, 1994 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT/OWNER OF THE AIRPLANE AND THREE OTHER PILOTS WERE PLANNING TO FLY TO AN AVIATION SAFETY MEETING. A PREFLIGHT WAS COMPLETED AND FUEL SAMPLES WERE TAKEN. AFTER THE RUN-UP, FLAPS WERE SET TO 10 DEGREES AND FULL POWER WAS APPLIED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE AIRPLANE ROTATED NEAR THE END OF THE 3,000 FOOT RUNWAY, CLIMBED ABOUT 40 FEET AND SETTLED DOWN INTO THE TREES. THE PILOT STATED THAT NO DEFICIENCIES WERE NOTED WITH THE ENGINE AND AIRPLANE DURING THE TAKEOFF. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 175 POUNDS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AT TAKEOFF, THE AIRPORT DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 4,500 FEET, AND THE TAKEOFF RUNWAY HAD A 0.5% UP-SLOPE GRADE. THE PILOT'S OPERATING MANUAL SPECIFIES A 25 DEGREE FLAP SETTING, WITH FULL POWER APPLIED BEFORE BRAKE RELEASE, FOR AN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation in which the pilot attempted a high density altitude takeoff, up-slope, with the airplane over the maximum allowable gross weight, utilizing a rolling takeoff technique with an improper flap setting. This resulted in an inadvertent mush into trees during the initial climb.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/20/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City OAKLAND
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21550
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 GARRETT COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2G4
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 2933
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1847 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 64
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4500
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 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2035
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 20 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2815T
NTSB Number NYC94LA180
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-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28R-200
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-7235138
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 13 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 3153
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAWRENCE R. ROSAGE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1104 WASHINGTON AVE.
Aircraft Owner City MARTINSBURG
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2G4
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MGW
Destination City MORGANTOWN
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --