Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Jucapa Farms Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Winchester, Virginia 22625
Tuesady, July 31, 2007 15:29 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a takeoff attempt from a 1,500-foot turf airstrip, towards rising terrain, a Piper PA-28-161 impacted trees. According to the pilot, during the preflight run-up, when the right magneto was selected, the engine dropped 500 rpm. He attempted to "clean up the plugs," but the engine still "dropped" more rpm than when the left magneto was selected. He selected "one notch of flaps" for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane did not seem to accelerate as expected. The pilot then selected a "second notch" of flaps at approximately 35 knots indicated airspeed. At midfield, the airplane was still not airborne and the pilot became concerned about not having enough remaining runway; however, he decided to continue the takeoff. The airplane became airborne, but would not climb. The stall warning "went off," and the airplane struck trees. The pilot added that the engine rpm always dropped more when the right magneto was selected rather than the left. A review of the airplane's documentation by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that no weight and balance information was in the airplane. A review of the accident airplane's information manual and original delivery documents revealed that under the conditions that existed at the time of the accident, the takeoff distance required to clear a 50-foot obstacle was approximately 1,500 feet and was based on the use of a "paved, level, dry runway."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/31/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1529 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Winchester |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22625 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 392232N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0781826W |
| Event Location Airport | Jucapa Farms Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 9VG9 |
| 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 | 1160 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MRB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 557 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 13 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| 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) | 22420 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 31 2007 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 | Dulles, VA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2893G |
| NTSB Number | NYC07CA181 |
| 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-28-161 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7916518 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2325 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8.45 |
| Airframe Hours | 7828.7 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Michael Homan |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Port Matilda |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 16870 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | 9VG9 |
| Departure City | Winchester |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1529 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 9VG9 |
| Destination City | Winchester |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 5 2007 2:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MUZD |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16 |
| Runway Length | 1500 |
| Runway Width | 70 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |