Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hagerstown, Indiana 47346
Sunday, August 26, 2007 8:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane impacted a fence and nosed over during an aborted takeoff from runway 20 (4,000 feet by 200 feet, wet grass). The pilot stated, "It was 8:00 AM the grass was a little tall and covered with heavy dew. I did not feel that the plane was accelerating like I thought that it should." The pilot reported that about halfway down the runway the airplane lifted "slightly off the turf, then settled back down" and headed left of the centerline. The pilot said that the airplane "slid on the wet grass, struck a steel farm fence, and nosed over ... in a soybean field." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's use of an unsuitable runway for takeoff and delayed aborted takeoff. Factors were the wet grass and the fence the airplane impacted and subsequently nosed over.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2007
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Hagerstown
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47346
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 401450N
Event Location Longitude 0850980W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 937
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
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) 22442
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 26 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2007 7:09AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Indianapolis, IN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N15425
NTSB Number CHI07CA278
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7305074
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Mar 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6278
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HAGERSTOWN FLYING CLUB
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Hagerstown
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47346
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 --
Departure City Hagerstown
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MQJ
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 18 2007 4:22PM
User who most recently changed record DINC
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --