Piper PA28 N1845J accident near Leesburg, Ohio

Probable cause

The pilot's improper preflight planning and decision to attempt a takeoff from a runway that was too short for conditions, which resulted in the airplane settling into terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was taking off on a 2,100 foot grass runway with a quartering tailwind. The pilot stated that the airplane lifted off and climbed normally until it passed the end of the runway, at which time the engine "coughed" and lost power. A witness stated that the airplane's speed during the takeoff and climb was slow and that the airplane reached an altitude of about 40-50 feet above the runway end. A review of the airplane's takeoff performance data from a hard surface runway showed that the airplane's takeoff distance over a 50-foot obstacle was nearly equal to the runway length for the density altitude at the time of the accident. However, the soft grass runway surface, runway slope, and quartering tailwind present during the accident takeoff would have further lengthened the airplane's takeoff distance. Because of these considerations, the pilot should not have attempted to takeoff on that runway in those conditions.

The airplane's most recent annual maintenance inspection was completed about 5 months (about 7.8 flight hours) before the accident. However, the engine had not been overhauled within the manufacturer's recommended overhaul time of 12 years. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed a leak from the fuel selector and evidence that one of the magnetos had a preexisting grounding anomaly; both conditions should have been discovered during the annual maintenance inspection. Additionally, the grounded magneto should have been evident to the pilot during the engine run-up. However, these anomalous conditions would not have had a significant effect on the airplane's performance. Examination did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN12LA569 for the full record.