Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Taberg, New York 13471
Wednesday, August 2, 2000 13:00 EDT

During a cross county flight with three passengers, the airplane's upper door latch opened and the pilot intended to perform a precautionary landing a nearby airport to secure the door. The pilot landed on a 1,500-foot long private grass strip, secured the door attempted to depart the grass strip to the east. The pilot aborted his first attempt to takeoff, because the airplane was unable to takeoff within a 'reasonable' distance of the end of the runway. During the second attempt, the airplane became airborne about 500 feet before the end of the runway, and the pilot lowered the airplane's nose 'to accelerate while remaining in ground effect.' Near the end of the runway, the pilot pitched the airplane up; however, the airplane began to descend towards a cornfield and impacted terrain. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane. According to the pilot 'the airplane was near gross weight, but definitely under gross weight.' He also stated 'once on the ground I should have off loaded all passengers luggage and perhaps some fuel before taking off.' Using the temperature, dew point, and altimeter setting, reported at a nearby airport, the estimated density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be about 2,188 feet. Review of the takeoff distance chart located in the airplane owner's manual, revealed a takeoff distance of 900 feet from a 'paved, level, dry, runway.' The chart did not include takeoff distances for takeoffs from grass surfaces.

The pilot's improper decision to attempt a second takeoff from the short grass runway at maximum gross weight, which resulted in the inadvertent stall/mush. Factors in this accident were the airplane's high gross weight and the short grass surface runway.