Sky Lane Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Evansville, Indiana 47711
Wednesday, March 16, 1988 17:19 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT ATTEMPTED MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT TAKE-OFF FROM SOFT SOGGY FIELD WITH 10 DEGREE FLAPS SELECTED. STALL WARNING ACTIVATED ON LIFT-OFF, AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET THEN BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED, MADE UNCONTROLLED LANDING IN MUDDY FIELD ONE-HALF MILE FROM AIRPORT. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT AND FORWARD CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT WAS EXCEEDED. AIRCRAFT OPERATING MANUAL RECOMMENDS 25 DEGREE FLAPS FOR SOFT FIELD TAKE-OFF. THIS WAS PILOT'S FIRST EXPERIENCE WITH A MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1719
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City EVANSVILLE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47711
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SKY LANE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3EV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 5
Degrees magnetic from airport 350
Airport Elevation 380
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2348 2
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 237
Weather Observation Facility ID EVV
Elevation of weather observation facility 418
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation 2
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 10
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) 0
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 2
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 339
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2009
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36130
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15567
NTSB Number CHI88DEX03
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7325099
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 75
Airframe Hours 2479
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OLIVER Z. WILLIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 853 HERNDON DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City EVANSVILLE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47711
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 No
Departure Airport Code SKY
Departure City EVANSVILLE
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 3EV
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 36
Runway Length 2100
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --