Piper PA-28-151 N44690 accident near Lapeer, Michigan

Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a takeoff attempt, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, runway excursion, and onground collision with an object. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s decision to continue the takeoff on a closed, unsuitable runway.

NTSB analysis

The flight instructor, seated in the right seat, and the student pilot, seated in the left seat, were conducting an instructional flight practicing soft field takeoffs and landings. The flight instructor reported that, during the takeoff roll while demonstrating a soft field takeoff on a turf runway, the airplane encountered rough terrain and was not accelerating as expected. Despite the reduced acceleration, the flight instructor continued the takeoff. Immediately after rotation, the airplane aerodynamically stalled and made abnormal contact with the turf runway.

Following the abnormal runway contact, the airplane crossed an intersecting paved runway. The airplane subsequently became airborne again, aerodynamically stalled, and made abnormal contact with the turf runway a second time. The flight instructor reported that, at this point, he decided to abort the takeoff and began taking corrective actions; however, the airplane overran the runway environment, entered a parking lot, and struck an object, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.

The flight instructor reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

The turf runway at Dupont/Lapeer Airport is Runway 09–27. According to the FAA Chart Supplement, Runway 09–27 is closed from November through April and when snow covered.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ANC26LA031 for the full record.