Mead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mead, Washington 99021
Thursday, August 22, 1991 10:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON A HOT DAY WITH UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS, THE ACFT WAS LOADED AT NEAR MAX GROSS TAKEOFF WT. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED TAKEOFF SPEED, THE PILOT APPLIED FLAPS AND ROTATED, BUT THE ACFT WOULD NOT FLY. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF TOO LATE TO STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE ACFT DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED TERRAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING BY THE PILOT, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AND UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDIITON.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MEAD
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99021
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 70S
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1894
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID SFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1953
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3764
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1157
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44245
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3781A
NTSB Number SEA91LA218
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-135
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-135
Aircraft Serial Number 22-2023
Certified Max Gross Weight 1950
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS W. VAN FOSSEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 34770 COUNTY LINE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City YUCAIPA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92399
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS W. VAN FOSSEN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 34770 COUNTY LINE ROAD
Operator City YUCAIPA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92399
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 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 2550
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --