Piper PA28 N132AV accident near Lyndonville, Vermont

Probable cause

The pilot's loss of airplane control during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before an earlier flight that day. Before departing on the accident flight with two passengers, he cautioned a friend and fellow pilot about how his airplane "needed more time to build speed" during the takeoff roll. After taxi, the pilot positioned the airplane on the runway for departure and performed a flight control deflection check. He stated that there was corresponding movement with the flight control surfaces but that the resistance in the controls was light; his concern led him to perform the check eight times before takeoff. The pilot stated that after rotation, the airplane was unresponsive, or was slow to respond, in the roll axis when he applied aileron corrections. He closed the throttle and performed a forced landing to the grassy area beyond the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, cabin, empennage, and tail section. During postaccident examination of the airplane, flight control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces; however, the left aileron was significantly impact damaged, and a break was noted in its control push-pull rod. Further examination of the control rod revealed that the fracture features were consistent with an overstress fracture; there was no evidence of a preexisting crack. Because the postaccident examination confirmed flight control continuity, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the airplane during takeoff.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA17LA312 for the full record.