Piper PA 22-150 N4803A accident near Princeton, Minnesota

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of airplane control during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was flying his airplane to a hunting location. No one witnessed the departure or accident. A postaccident examination of the accident site indicated that the airplane departed the runway and then impacted the ground in a wooded area about 600 feet from the approximate midpoint of the runway. A postimpact fire occurred. An 8-knot crosswind was recorded about the time of the accident. The loaded weight of the airplane could not be determined due to fire damage. Postaccident examinations of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the toxicology report showed that the pilot was exposed to carbon monoxide, the level of exposure would only have resulted in a slight headache.

A review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed that the airplane's tires were replaced with larger tires in accordance with a supplemental type certificate the day before the accident. However, the change would have had a small effect on the performance of the airplane. The evidence indicates that the pilot likely lost airplane control during takeoff.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14LA028 for the full record.