Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Demotte Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Demotte, Indiana 46310
Wednesday, June 10, 1998 15:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot attempted a short field takeoff on runway 18 but aborted the takeoff when he became aware that the aircraft would not clear electric lines that were at the south end of the airport. The pilot stated that he taxied the aircraft to the end of the field and positioned the aircraft for a second takeoff, this time on runway 36. The pilot stated that the aircraft did not rotate at a point that was needed to clear a tree line that was north of the airport. The pilot aborted the takeoff and applied the brakes. The pilot stated that the last 1/4 of the runway had just been mowed and tire traction was reduced substantially. The aircraft slid off the end of the runway and impacted a 2.5' tall dirt pile. Post accident investigation showed that the aircraft was within weight and balance limitations, as stated in the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) and the aircraft's weight and balance data sheet. Takeoff performance figures were calculated using the POH, using the weather conditions on the occurrence date, and were to be found to be within stated limitations. No engine or aircraft anomalies were found with the aircraft in question.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning that failed to ensure takeoff could be attained. Other related factors were the aborted takeoff, grass, and a dirt bank.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/10/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | DEMOTTE |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 46310 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | DEMOTTE AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3C0 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 360 |
| Airport Elevation | 655 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 15 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VPZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 770 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 210 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 3200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1708 |
| 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) | 313 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 10 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2256 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 11 2000 11:31AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3933S |
| NTSB Number | CHI98LA195 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 172E |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17251133 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 28 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7 |
| Airframe Hours | 4507 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WILLIAM KESSLER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | ROUTE 3 BOX 199 |
| Aircraft Owner City | WASHINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 47501 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 3C0 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | DCY |
| Destination City | WASHINGTON |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| 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 | 36 |
| Runway Length | 2600 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |