Johnson Creek Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yellow Pine, Idaho 83677
Monday, July 12, 2010 8:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while loading the airplane he noticed the airport manager installing sprinkler heads along the entire length of the grass runway. The pilot requested that the airport manager delay turning on the sprinklers until he departed the airport; however, the sprinklers were turned on prior to departure. The pilot stated that he remained on the right half of the runway to keep clear of the sprinklers during the takeoff roll. As the airplane approached midfield during the takeoff roll, the pilot determined that the airplane was not "moving fast enough" to continue the take off. The pilot stated that he aborted the takeoff by pulling back on the throttle and applying the brakes. He added that during the aborted takeoff, the airplane began skidding on the wet grass and he shut the engine off. Subsequently, the airplane exited the departure end of the runway and struck a sign and a boulder, which resulted in substantial damage to the right and left wings. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane prior to the accident. According to the Northwest U.S. Airport/Facility Directory, runway 35, a grass runway, is 3,400 feet long and 150 feet wide. At the reported weight of the airplane, in the weather conditions of the airport at the time of the accident, the airplane had a calculated takeoff ground roll of about 2,000 feet, with a landing ground roll of 880 feet. These numbers are calculated for a dry, paved, level runway, with two notches of flaps used for the takeoff. The airplane took off on a wet, grass, down-slope airstrip, with only one notch of flaps. The Performance Section of the Pilot Operating Handbook for this airplane states that the “effects of conditions not considered on the charts must be evaluated by the pilot, such as the effect of soft or grass runway surface on takeoff or landing performance….”

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the wet condition of the grass runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/2010
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Yellow Pine
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83677
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 445444N
Event Location Longitude 1152908W
Event Location Airport Johnson Creek
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3U2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4933
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 851 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 267
Weather Observation Facility ID KMYL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5024
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KMYL 121351Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/08 A29
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) 27328
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 16 2010 10:35PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2185K
NTSB Number WPR10CA346
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7985061
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2460
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name ELDRIDGE CHARLES D III
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SANTA CRUZ
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95060
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Charles D Eldridge III
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SANTA CRUZ
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95060
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 3U2
Departure City Yellow Pine
Departure State ID
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4U7
Destination City Conner
Destination State MT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 8 2010 8:55AM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 3400
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --