Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Williamsburg, Virginia 23185
Sunday, November 12, 2006 11:25 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the takeoff roll, the pilot lifted the nose wheel of the airplane off the runway early in order to "lessen ground drag on the nose." As the airplane reached 100 feet, and at an airspeed near rotation speed, the airplane encountered a wind gust of approximately "negative 30 knots." The airplane was then "hit from [the] top by wind," and subsequently impacted trees off the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that if he had the chance to do the accident flight again, he would not have attempted the departure due to the winds. Witnesses described that as the airplane lifted off from the runway, it was moving "abnormally slow" and was "not climbing very quickly." It then climbed a "short distance" into the air before being "pushed down." It then gained altitude, but did not climb above the height of the trees beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane flew in a wings level attitude, straight into the tree line, and moments later erupted in flames. The weather reported at the time of the accident consisted of gusting winds and rain. Examination of radar information revealed level 3 convective activity just west of the airport around the time of the accident. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to depart into adverse weather conditions. Contributing was the gusty wind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/12/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1125 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Williamsburg |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23185 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 371421N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0764257W |
| Event Location Airport | Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | JGG |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 49 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1120 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 130 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JGG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 49 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 900 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 11 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 16 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.72 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22539 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 12 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 29 2007 8:02AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9430K |
| NTSB Number | NYC07LA027 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32R-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32R-7680406 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Apr 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2674 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Engenius Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | St. Petersburg |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33701 |
| 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 | JGG |
| Departure City | Williamsburg |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1125 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SPG |
| Destination City | St. Petersburg |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 25 2007 6:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 3204 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |