Piper PA-28-161 N29496 accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts

Probable cause

The CFI's inadequate preflight planning and delay to abort the takeoff from the soft takeoff area.

NTSB analysis

After performing several takeoffs and landings on runway 24, the certified flight instructor (CFI) elected to use the grass area parallel to runway 33 in order to demonstrate soft-field takeoffs to the student pilot. Once airborne the CFI lowered the nose of the airplane in order to accelerate to their predetermined climbout speed of 79 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). According to the CFI, the airplane accelerated fairly normally to 55 KIAS, then slowly accelerated to 60 KIAS, at which point the airspeed "stagnated." The CFI made the decision to discontinue the takeoff and land on the remaining portion of the grass area. She allowed the airplane to "float over" the paved portion of a perpendicular runway and touched down on the main landing gear on the other side of the paved portion. The airplane made contact with a low berm and the nosegear collapsed. The grass area that was used for this flight was not a runway and was approximately 1,000 feet in length. The pilot operating handbook for this airplane make and model does not prohibit the departure from a non-paved surface area; however, the only performance data that was provided by the manufacturer requires a "paved, level, dry runway."

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09LA358 for the full record.