Piper PA-36-375 N1057E accident near Elmwood, Nebraska

Probable cause

The pilot’s decision to take off with the airplane near its maximum gross weight from a runway that did not have sufficient length for the airplane to achieve a normal takeoff and positive climb rate after liftoff.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, before the accident flight, the agricultural application airplane was loaded with 1,500 lbs of seed and 40 gallons of aviation fuel. He reported that there were no anomalies with the airplane during the five previous flights that day or the before-takeoff engine run-up. The accident takeoff was made from a private airstrip toward the south with the flaps partially extended. After applying full engine power, the pilot released the brakes, and the airplane accelerated down the runway. The airplane's tail became airborne about three-quarters down the runway at 75 mph. Although the airplane became airborne before reaching the end of the runway, it was unable to gain additional airspeed or achieve a positive climb rate. The airplane remained in ground effect as it crossed over the runway departure threshold, but it subsequently settled into a corn crop about 1/4 mile past the end of the runway. The pilot stated that he believed that the accident could have been prevented if he had reduced the payload weight for the accident flight.

The pilot reported that, at the time of the accident takeoff, the airplane weighed about 4,500 lbs, which was about 300 lbs below the airplane's maximum gross weight. According to local weather reports, the wind was light and variable at the time of the accident. Performance calculations revealed that, during takeoff at 4,500 lbs with the flaps fully retracted, with no headwind, and from a level hard-surface runway, the airplane would have required about 1,750 ft of runway to achieve liftoff and about 2,650 ft to clear a 50-ft obstacle. The north-south turf runway was 2,600 ft long. The Pilot's Operating Handbook did not provide takeoff performance data for operations from a grass/turf runway or with flaps extended. According to the available performance data, the airplane would likely have required additional runway length to achieve a normal takeoff and positive climb rate after liftoff.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN15LA405 for the full record.