Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Portland International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Portland, Oregon 97201
Friday, November 7, 1997 12:45 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during 'the mid stage of the takeoff roll...I experienced one or two asym[m]etrical surges that caused the plane to yaw to the right.' The pilot stated he corrected these with nosewheel steering (the pilot's operating handbook states not to use nosewheel steering during takeoff). The pilot stated, 'As I approached rotation speed, there was a strong yaw to the right....I believed...the nosewheel [had deflected]...full right....I then pulled back on the yoke to pull the nosewheel off....I became airborne...I heard the stall warning. The plane then veered sharply to the right, going off the runway....' Post-accident examinations of the aircraft's right engine and propeller revealed no evidence of pre-impact engine or propeller mechanical malfunctions. Directional control on the ground is available in the accident aircraft via differential braking, differential power, and rudder, if nosewheel steering is not available. While the pilot reported he had recently flown the accident aircraft with another pilot (not an instructor) to 'review aircraft systems and check my pilot competencies', his last documented flight review was 6 years before the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's selection of an improper remedial action for an unanticipated yaw excursion during takeoff roll, resulting in the aircraft becoming airborne with inadequate airspeed and consequent loss of aircraft control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/7/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | PORTLAND |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97201 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PDX |
| 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 | 27 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1256 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PDX |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 27 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1735 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 7 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1525 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N700HS |
| NTSB Number | SEA98LA012 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Aerostar |
| Aircraft Model | PA-60-700P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-60-700P |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 60-8423025 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6315 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 6 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 65 |
| Airframe Hours | 1910 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | STUART J. SHELK JR. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8915 S. POKEGAMA DR. |
| Aircraft Owner City | POWELL BUTTE |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97753 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PDX |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1245 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | S39 |
| Destination City | PRINEVILLE |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| 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 | 10L |
| Runway Length | 8000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |