Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Manhattan, Kansas 66502
Saturday, October 14, 2000 13:02 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during initial climb after takeoff from a private airstrip. The runway is oriented in a predominantly north/south direction, and is about 1600 feet in length. The takeoff was executed to the north. The ferry flight was being conducted for the purpose of relocating the aircraft so that maintenance could be performed. A postaccident examination of the accident scene revealed no anomalies that could be associated with a preexisting condition with respect to the aircraft. The grass strip runway was found to have 3-4 inch long grass. The length of the runway was found to be about 0.3 miles long by driving its length with an automobile. A videotape of the accident flight shows that during the takeoff roll the aircraft tail was drug along the runway twice. After initially becoming airborne, the aircraft settled back onto the runway before becoming airborne again. The airplane started an increasingly steep bank to the right before contacting the trees at the departure end of the runway. In a written statement, the pilot said, "We took off down runway-900-ft-hit ruts airplane bounced into air-held nose down to build airspeed-ro[t]ated to late hit trees." In his written report, the pilot listed no mechanical malfunction. In the report, the pilot listed his flight experience in this make and model of aircraft as "None".

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the inadequate soft field takeoff procedure by the pilot and his failure to abort the takeoff. Factors were the high grass on the runway, the pilots disregard for the runway conditions, his lack of total experience in the aircraft, the trees, and the pilots failure to maintain clearance from the trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1302
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MANHATTAN
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 66502
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport PRIVATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1254 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MHK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1056
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 72
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 61
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10792
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 14 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Oct 23 2001 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6107P
NTSB Number CHI01LA012
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 24-1827
Certified Max Gross Weight 0
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN G. POOLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 2 BOX 58
Aircraft Owner City JUNCTION CITY
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 66441
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PVT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1302
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TOP
Destination City TOPEKA
Destination State KS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 4 2001 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 1600
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --