Feutz Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mexico, Missouri 65265
Sunday, March 18, 2012 11:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot and his wife were departing from a 2,600-foot, soft, grass strip with a quartering right tailwind. The grass height on the runway was between 6 and 10 inches high. The airplane departed about 1,900 feet down the runway, veered to the left, stalled, and collided with trees before it came to rest in a field. Interpolation of available takeoff performance revealed that the airplane would have needed about 2,312 feet of ground-roll distance for a successful takeoff from a paved, level, dry runway, with zero flaps, under the existing wind conditions. No mechanical deficiencies were found with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight performance planning before departing on the soft, grass field with a quartering tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Mexico
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65265
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390916N
Event Location Longitude 0914903W
Event Location Airport Feutz Airfield
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M088
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 900
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID COU
Elevation of weather observation facility 889
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
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) 30826
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2012 3:42PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N158EA
NTSB Number CEN12FA188
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 28-8016210
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 3
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 Aug 4 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 240
Airframe Hours 13828
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name STUART FLYING LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1110 N KENTUCKY ST
Aircraft Owner City MEXICO
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65265-1024
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name STUART FLYING LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1110 N KENTUCKY ST
Operator City MEXICO
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 65265-1024
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 No
Departure Airport Code MYK
Departure City Mexico
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code M088
Destination City Mexico
Destination State MO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 17 2013 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 08
Runway Length 2600
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --