Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lexington, Virginia 24450
Wednesday, April 4, 2001 7:05 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot attempted a takeoff from a "slight upslope," 2,200-foot grass strip with random low spots. The takeoff was attempted after several days of rain, and the ground was still soggy. After liftoff, the airplane struck a 6-inch square wooden fence post at the departure end of the runway, which tore skin off a wing, and damaged the wing spar, aileron and anti-servo trim tab. The pilot then landed the airplane ahead, in an open field, about 300 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed. No mechanical malfunctions contributed to the accident. The owners handbook stated that takeoffs should be made with flaps up, but only provided takeoff distance data for airplanes configured with flaps 25 degrees, and maximum power from a paved, level, and dry runway. Winds were about 70 degrees off the airplane's nose, at 9 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the runway conditions. Factors included the soggy runway conditions, and the lack of available takeoff performance data in the owners manual.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 705 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lexington |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24450 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Private Airstrip |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | NONE |
| 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 | 150 |
| Airport Elevation | 1120 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 654 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 155 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LYH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 940 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 5 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 40 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.24 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10326 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 4 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 30 2001 11:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4586J |
| NTSB Number | NYC01LA092 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R30457 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | Aug 2 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 48 |
| Airframe Hours | 3930 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Aero Aviation, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 929 Maury River Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lexington |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 24450 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Donald P. Jeffer, Jr. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Natural Bridge Station |
| Operator State | VA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 24579 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | NONE |
| Departure City | Lexington |
| Departure State | -- |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 705 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SHD |
| Destination City | Weyer's Cave |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 11 2001 10:39AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 2100 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |