Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Custer County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Custer, South Dakota 57730
Wednesday, October 20, 1999 14:45 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot performed an intersection takeoff with 4,100 feet of usable runway remaining. As he took the runway for takeoff, the pilot advanced the throttle to half full, then followed with full throttle after the roll was initiated. The pilot said that the airplane did not perform as expected during the takeoff roll. 'The nose of the aircraft was gradually lifted off the runway and the typical liftoff and climbout power anticipated was absent.' The pilot determined the airplane was not going to get safely airborne and aborted the takeoff. The pilot said that he applied brakes, but determined that his speed was going to take him off the end of the runway. The pilot said he avoided obstacles as the airplane passed over 'an approximately 10 feet drop off.' He guided the airplane between a 7 foot tall tree which took off the right wing. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. According to the 25-degree Flaps Takeoff Ground Roll chart in the Pilot's Operating Handbook; for a 3,600 pound airplane, temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, pressure altitude of 6,800 feet msl, and estimated headwind of 5 knots, the takeoff ground roll was approximately 1,950 feet. Associated conditions included 2,700 rpm, full throttle before brake release, and a paved, level, dry runway. The Flaps Up Takeoff Ground Roll chart for a 3,600 pound airplane and the same conditions, showed the takeoff ground roll to be approximately 2,790 feet.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and decision to perform an intersection takeoff, and the improper short field, rolling, intersection takeoff. A factor relating to this accident was the trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/20/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1445 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | CUSTER |
| Event State | SOUTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 57730 |
| Event Date Year | 1999 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | CUSTER COUNTY AIRPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | CUT |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 260 |
| Airport Elevation | 5602 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 1 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CUT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 0 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 260 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 16 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 6800 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 729 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 21 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2323 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 12 2000 11:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2XT |
| NTSB Number | CHI00LA013 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-32-300 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32R-7680108 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 7 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 60 |
| Airframe Hours | 4101 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SKYCRAFTERS, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P. O. BOX 1061 TCAS |
| Aircraft Owner City | BLOUNTVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 37617 |
| 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 | SD01 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1445 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 9V9 |
| Destination City | CHAMBERLAIN |
| Destination State | SD |
| 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 | 26 |
| Runway Length | 5500 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |