Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Picabo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Picabo, Idaho 83348
Sunday, September 5, 2004 10:15 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the takeoff from a grass/turf runway, the pilot-in-command failed to ensure that the propeller control lever remained in the full forward position during the entire takeoff sequence. As a result, the aircraft did not lift off the ground at a point that it otherwise would have. Because the pilot did not abort the takeoff when it became clear that the aircraft was not performing as it should, the aircraft lifted off late, collided with some trees and a fence, and then settled back onto the terrain. It then experienced a collapse of all three landing gear. There was no indication that there had been any malfunction of an aircraft system, or that the engine was not capable of producing full power. The pilot-in-command did not use a checklist during his pre-takeoff and takeoff activities.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to set the propeller control for takeoff performance needed to outclimb obstacles. The pilot's failure to use the checklist, trees, and a fence are contributing factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/5/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Picabo |
| Event State | IDAHO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83348 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 431817N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1140329W |
| Event Location Airport | Picabo |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ID82 |
| 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 | 4828 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17237 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 5 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1055 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 27 2005 3:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Boise FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N880SC |
| NTSB Number | SEA04LA180 |
| 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-32R-301T |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8029015 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 30 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 10 |
| Airframe Hours | 1775 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dutch Air LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3535 Inland Impire |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ontario |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91764 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Bob Cullen |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 1903 Aviation Drive |
| Operator City | Corona |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 91720 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | ID82 |
| Departure City | Picabo |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AJO |
| Destination City | Corona |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 3000 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |