Private Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, New York 13026
Sunday, June 8, 2003 19:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was departing to the south on his private 2,000-foot-long, 60-foot-wide, grass runway. He stated the airplane was configured with "two notches" of flaps. He rotated at 60 mph, and climbed at 75 mph. The pilot then realized that the airplane was not climbing fast enough to clear the 50-foot-high trees located at the end of the runway. As the airplane approached the trees, the pilot made a right turn; however, the left wing struck a tree and the airplane came to rest in a field. The pilot reported that the airplane's gross weight at the time of the accident was about 1,900 pounds. The weather reported at an airport about 22 miles southwest of the accident site, about the time of the accident included winds from 150 degrees at 10 knots, with 17 knot gusts, a temperature of 73 degrees F, and an altimeter setting of 29.73 in/hg. Review of the takeoff distance chart in the airplane owner's handbook revealed that the distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle, at a gross weight of 1,950 pounds was about 1,900 feet. However, the chart was predicated on a takeoff from a level hard surface runway, in a no wind, zero flap configuration.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to obtain the proper climb rate.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/8/2003
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Aurora
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 13026
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 424242N
Event Location Longitude 0763718W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 720
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID PEO
Elevation of weather observation facility 976
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.73
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) 14999
NTSB Notification Source Eastern Region
NTSB Notification Date Jun 9 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Rochester

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N560FL
NTSB Number NYC03LA124
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7125401
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 27 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 3903
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert W. Bancroft
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Aurora
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13026
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 No
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City Aurora
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1900
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 - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2004 2:57PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location S
Runway Length 2000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --