Princeton-Caldwell Aprt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Princeton, Kentucky 42445
Wednesday, August 16, 2000 17:41 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot conducted a preflight inspection, then he, and three passengers boarded the airplane for a local flight. The airplane was configured with 20 degrees flaps, and began its takeoff roll from the end of the runway. According to a survivor, the takeoff took 'three quarter or better' of the 3,000-foot runway, although the engine 'sounded wide open,' and never sputtered or backfired. After takeoff, it appeared to the survivor that the airplane was going to 'just miss' a line of trees. However, its landing gear hit the tops of a tree, about 80 to 100 feet above the runway surface, and 900 feet from the runway's departure end. The airplane then hit the tops of another tree about 130 feet beyond the first tree, crossed some power lines, stalled, and spun to the ground. There was no evidence of pre-accident airframe or engine malfunction. The airport did not have refueling services. Exact takeoff weight could not be determined; however, at maximum gross weight, performance data indicated that the takeoff roll would have been 1,065 feet, and the total distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle would have been 2,060 feet. Winds during the takeoff were from abeam, about 6 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to clear trees, for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1741
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PRINCETON
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42445
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRINCETON-CALDWELL APRT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2M0
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 582
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID HOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 573
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 2
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1132
NTSB Notification Source Southern Region Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2001 4:38PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3674C
NTSB Number NYC00FA229
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 182RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 182RG
Aircraft Serial Number R18200305
Certified Max Gross Weight 3100
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 Oct 3 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 69
Airframe Hours 3657
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GARY PENN, PARTNERSHIP
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City FRANKFORT
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 40601
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 2M0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1740
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2001 4:09AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 3000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --