Addington Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elizabethtown, Kentucky 42701
Saturday, May 12, 2001 19:40 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a takeoff attempt, just before liftoff, the airplane began to veer to the left. The pilot applied right rudder with no effect. When he saw that the airplane was going to veer off the runway, he closed the throttle and applied both brakes. The airplane continued off the runway, through the median between the runway and the taxiway, over the taxiway, and into a ditch. The pilot did not report any mechanical difficulties with the airplane. Weather at an airport 60 miles to the north included winds 30 degrees to the left of the pilot's takeoff runway, at 11 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/2001
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1940
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Elizabethtown
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42701
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Addington Field
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EKX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID SDF
Elevation of weather observation facility 500
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10410
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date May 13 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1428
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 13 2001 9:42AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Louisville

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6899W
NTSB Number NYC01LA124
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-21062
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 Jul 14 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 4431
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Willaim T. Tabb
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sonora
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42776
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 EKX
Departure City Elizabethtown
Departure State KY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1940
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 9 2001 1:32PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 05
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --