Hillsboro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hillsboro, Oregon 97123
Monday, March 18, 2013 15:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight was to be the private pilot’s first multiengine lesson. Both he and the instructor performed an uneventful preflight check and run-up, which included a check of the brakes and the security of the cabin door. During the takeoff roll, the cabin door opened, and the flight instructor called for the pilot to abort the takeoff. The pilot reduced engine power to idle and applied pressure to the brake pedals. The airplane began to decelerate; however, as it approached the end of the runway, brake effectiveness began to dissipate, and the airplane travelled beyond the threshold, coming to rest in a ditch. The airplane was equipped with foot-operated brakes on the left side only, which was occupied by the pilot undergoing instruction. The remaining runway distance, had it been flat, should have provided for an adequate distance to stop; however, the runway sloped downhill, with its gradient rapidly increasing beyond the threshold. It is likely that this increased downsloping gradient resulted in an increased distance needed to stop the airplane. Postaccident examination of the braking system revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A runway overrun due to an insufficient stopping distance due to the downsloping runway during a rejected takeoff. Contributing to the accident was a cabin door that inadvertently opened during the takeoff roll.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/18/2013
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1515
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Hillsboro
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97123
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 452532N
Event Location Longitude 1225643W
Event Location Airport Hillsboro
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7S3
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 170
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID HIO
Elevation of weather observation facility 201
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4800
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
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) 30.24
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KHIO 182153Z 00000KT 10SM FEW048 SCT060 11/0
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) 32666
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional 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 Jan 9 2014 9:48PM
User who most recently changed record sime1
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N318CA
NTSB Number WPR13LA154
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-23-250
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 27-2908
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 5009
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name TWIN OAKS AIRPARK INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12405 SW RIVER RD
Aircraft Owner City HILLSBORO
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97123-9314
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Lars-Eric C Ljungqvist
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Gaston
Operator State OR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 97119
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7S3
Departure City Hillsboro
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 7S3
Destination City Hillsboro
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2014 9:48PM
User who most recently changed record sime1
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 20
Runway Length 2465
Runway Width 48
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --