AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - August 2017 - 82

Taking off on 4,000 feet of pavement usually isn't
much of a challenge-but add turf, obstructions, and slope,
and it becomes more complicated.
PILOTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY PUSH

the envelope at larger airports
sometimes find difficulty at the
bucolic grass strips where many
go to vacation. Being aeronautically overweight is a bad idea;
unbalanced is worse. And although
engines should produce rated
power with the aircraft configured appropriately, the aircraft has
to be flown by book procedures to
get expected results. Taking off
on 4,000 feet of pavement usually
isn't much of a challenge-but add
turf, obstructions, and slope, and
it becomes more complicated. In
a few cases, there just isn't enough
margin to make it all work.
FAILURE TO CLIMB

The CFI owner, a commercial
pilot, and a student flew a Piper
Cherokee 140 into Gastons Airport
(3M0), a resort strip in Lakeview,
Arkansas, in October 2002 for dinner. They needed to depart before
dark because the 3,200-foot grass
runway was unlit. Obstructions dictate one way in and the other way
out. The weather was good VFR
with light winds and a temperature
of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
Witnesses noted that the aircraft
was slow to accelerate and used
nearly all the runway. After takeoff,
the aircraft was observed nose-high
and not climbing.
The Cherokee hit a bluff 1.3
miles from the airport at an elevation of 709 feet, only 166 feet above
the airport elevation. There were
no survivors. Because of impact
damage and fire, it was impossible
to determine how well the engine
was operating. The flaps were set
at 25 degrees, the recommended
short-field configuration.
82 | AOPA PILOT August 2017

The 67-year-old CFI had just
more than 4,000 hours total time
,with 579 hours in make and model.
The 1967 Cherokee airframe had
about 5,400 hours, and the engine
showed 1,778 hours since last overhaul. The annual inspection was
current. Of interest, the CFI had
mentioned to the home FBO that
he was troubleshooting a "low
power problem." A sales receipt
showed that the pilot had purchased six intake gaskets, although
there was no logbook record of any
maintenance of this sort. The pilot
subsequently reported that the
problem had been fixed.
Takeoff weight was not discussed in the NTSB accident
report so it's assumed not to be
a factor. The exceptionally long
takeoff roll begins to tell a story,
but it's impossible to determine
specifically why the aircraft used
so much runway and climbed so
slowly. The NTSB determined the
probable cause to be the "pilot's
failure to maintain clearance with
terrain while maneuvering."
LANCE HEAVY

A Piper Lance operated by a flying club in St. Louis was flown to
the same Arkansas resort airport
for a fishing trip in June 2009. The
PA-32R-300 departed the Spirit of
St. Louis Airport, where the shortest paved runway is 5,000 feet,
overweight by about 344 pounds.
As the Lance left the resort
in the morning the weather was
reported as "hot and muggy" with
little wind and a temperature of 81
degrees F. With an airport elevation of 479 feet, density altitude
was computed to be 2,367 feet.
An employee observed that all

six seats were filled, and the aircraft appeared overloaded since
the passengers had luggage on
their laps. Just prior to takeoff the
pilot mentioned to the front-seat
passenger that they were going
to need the entire runway, but
elected not to use flaps-although
that is standard short- and softfield procedure for the PA-32.
The takeoff was videotaped
and a portable GPS on board
recorded the crash. The aircraft
lifted off at the far end of the runway, dropped into a shallow valley,
touched down a second time, hit
a tree and rolled several times. A
witness at the airport saw the airplane disappear into the valley,
and when it reappeared it was "In
a slight climb, the wings were wigwagging, and it was porpoising."
The aircraft crashed a little more
than one-half mile from the end of
the 3,200-foot runway. There were
three fatalities, including the pilot.
The 52-year-old pilot, a flying club member, had about 674
hours total time with 165 hours
in the accident aircraft. He had
completed a flight review in the
accident aircraft three months
prior to the accident.
The 1977 Lance had 9,011 hours
total time and 2,108 since major
engine overhaul. No aircraft anomalies were noted. A portable GPS
showed the aircraft didn't achieve
flying speed. Maximum speed
attained was about 68 knots and
the maximum altitude was 508
feet msl, or about 29 feet agl.
Despite not being refueled prior to
takeoff, the Lance was estimated to
still be 188 pounds over maximum
gross takeoff weight. The CG was
within limits but well aft.
AOPA Turbine Pilot Magazine - August 2017

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