Analysis
The private pilot and three passengers departed in the airplane from a 3,000-ft-long runway with a density altitude of about 3,000 ft and a light wind. Surveillance video showed that the airplane did not use the entire length of the runway for takeoff; the pilot began his takeoff roll where the paved section of the part turf/part asphalt runway began, resulting in 2,400 ft of available runway. During the ground roll, the nose of the airplane lifted off and then settled back onto the runway, and the airplane became airborne at 1,500 ft. Witnesses described the takeoff and initial climb as "slow" and "sluggish." The wings rocked, and the airplane climbed to about 100 ft in a continuous left turn before descending into trees 1,000 ft left of the runway centerline.
Examination of the airplane and its engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction or anomaly. An estimate of the airplane's takeoff weight indicated that it was about 66 lbs over the maximum allowable takeoff weight of 2,750 pounds. Review of performance charts revealed that the takeoff ground roll distance for the airplane at the maximum allowable gross weight was about 2,180 ft. Review of radar data showed that from rotation to the final radar target, the airplane's groundspeed (which was about the same as its airspeed given the light wind) varied between 61 and 67 knots, which was about the airplane's calculated stall speed of 60 knots. Further, the witness observations were consistent with the pilot failing to attain sufficient airspeed, which resulted in the airplane's wing exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
It is likely that the pilot lifted off prematurely at a speed lower than normal and was unable to accelerate or climb the airplane once it exited ground effect. A premature liftoff and a climb attempt at a speed significantly below best angle of climb speed (78 knots) placed the airplane in a situation where the power required for level flight was very near or exceeded the available power. To recover from this situation the pilot needed to lower the airplane's nose in order to accelerate the airplane to obtain a positive rate of climb. However, such an action is counterintuitive when low to the ground and requires accurate problem recognition, knowledge of the correct solution, and sufficient terrain clearance to accomplish.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's inadequate preflight weight and balance and performance planning, which resulted in the airplane being over gross weight. Also causal were the pilot's decision not to use the entire runway for takeoff, his premature liftoff, and his failure to attain adequate airspeed, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Findings
Aircraft
Maximum weight - Capability exceeded (Cause)
Takeoff distance - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Airspeed - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Angle of attack - Capability exceeded (Cause)
Climb rate - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Personnel issues
Performance calculations - Pilot (Cause)
Aircraft control - Pilot (Cause)
Decision making/judgment - Pilot (Cause)
Incorrect action performance - Pilot (Cause)
SCHOHARIE COUNTY -- A pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning and failure to use all available runway on takeoff likely led to the July 2016 Schoharie County plane crash that killed a Major League Baseball official and two others, according to a final National Transportation Safety Board report issued this week.
The inadequate weight, balance and performance planning on the part of the pilot led to the plane taking off over its gross weight, the report states. Failure to use the full runway led to a stall, the report added.
The small Piper PA-28 aircraft, with four people aboard, crashed into a wooded, swampy area at about 6:45 p.m. on July 16, 2016. All three passengers died. The pilot survived but suffered severe injuries.
The plane was en route from the private Hogan Airport near the Schoharie County hamlet of Sloansville, town of Esperance, to Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut. The occupants were in Esperance to attend a gathering of family and friends near the airfield, sheriff's officials have said.
The final report follows a preliminary report issued last month that noted the estimated takeoff weight as about 66 pounds over the maximum allowable weight -- 2,750 pounds -- for that plane.
Regarding the runway, the final report states: "It is likely that the pilot lifted off prematurely at a speed lower than normal and was unable to accelerate or climb." Surveillance video indicated the plane used 1,500 feet of runway when 2,400 was available.
Those killed were Andrew M. "Mike" Mydlarz, 50, and his wife, Susanne Hilgefort, 48, both of Stamford, Connecticut, and Lisa Marie Quinn, 48, of New York City.
Hilgefort served as MLB's senior director of broadcasting and business affairs and was one of the league's longest-serving employees, the league said. Her husband was an optician, according to their obituaries.
Jason Klein, owner of Connecticut-based Force 3 Pro Gear, a baseball equipment company, piloted the aircraft and survived. He continues to recover, more than 16 months later, a Force 3 company spokeswoman said last month. Klein has no memory of the crash, according to the NTSB's earlier report.
Lisa Marie Quinn, 48, of New York City, New York.
Andrew M. “Mike” Mydlarz, 50, and his wife Susanne Hilgefort, 48, both of Stamford, Connecticut.
Susanne and Mike passed away in a Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III plane crash on July 16th, 2016 in Esperance, New York. Also killed in the crash was their good friend, Lisa Quinn. Jason Klein, owner of Connecticut-based Force3 Pro Gear, a baseball equipment company, piloted the aircraft and survived.
Susanne and Mike passed away in a Piper PA-28R-201 Cherokee Arrow III plane crash on July 16th, 2016 in Esperance, New York. Also killed in the crash was their good friend, Lisa Quinn. Jason Klein, owner of Connecticut-based Force3 Pro Gear, a baseball equipment company, piloted the aircraft and survived.
Pilot Jason Klein, founder of Force3 Pro Gear
The report also cites air conditions at the Schoharie County airport as contributing to the accident.
No probable cause was included in the report, which was filed online late last week. Such a determination could come in the final report, which may come by the end of the year.
The small Piper PA-28 aircraft, with four people aboard, crashed into a wooded, swampy area about 6:45 p.m. July 16, 2016. All three passengers died. The pilot survived but suffered severe injuries.
The plane was en route from the private Hogan Airport near the Schoharie County hamlet of Sloansville, town of Esperance, to Tweed-New Haven Airport in Connecticut.
Those killed were Andrew M. "Mike" Mydlarz, 50, and his wife, Susanne Hilgefort, 48, both of Stamford, Connecticut, and Lisa Marie Quinn, 48, of New York City.
Hilgefort served as MLB's senior director of broadcasting and business affairs and was one of the league's longest-serving employees, the league said. Her husband was an optician, according to their obituaries.
Jason Klein, owner of Connecticut-based Force 3 Pro Gear, a baseball equipment company, piloted the aircraft and survived. Klein continues to recover, more than 16 months later, a Force 3 company spokeswoman said this week.
NTSB investigators did not interview Klein, due to his injuries, the new report reads. Instead, he submitted a written statement in which he indicated he has no memory of the incident.
The report also ruled out drugs or alcohol as factors, noting test results from samples taken from the pilot.
The four people aboard the plane were in Esperance to attend a gathering of family and friends near the airfield, sheriff's officials have said. Several of those remaining at the gathering saw the plane gain altitude and then descend into the trees.
They made their way to the crash site and found one man outside the plane with burns to his face and hands trying to help the others still in the wreckage, officials have said.
The NTSB estimated the takeoff weight of the aircraft, including fuel and passengers, to be about 66 pounds over the maximum allowable gross weight. They estimated the takeoff weight as 2,816.5 pounds; the maximum is 2,750 pounds.
At the maximum weight, the "estimated takeoff ground roll" is 2,180 feet, the report states. The plane got off the ground in about 1,500 feet, based on surveillance footage cited in the report.
The report also highlights the air density at the Schoharie County airport. The report says an FAA pamphlet and pilot handbook warn that air densities at higher altitudes require increased takeoff distances and cause reduced rates of climb, among other complications.
Witnesses described the takeoff as slow and sluggish. Another reported the plane as under full power the entire time. The engine did not fail, according to witnesses.
The report confirms an examination of the engine showed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical problems.
Another issue cited by the report is that the "flap control handle" was found set at 10 degrees. The plane's handbook did not include performance charts or procedures for 10-degree flaps during takeoff.
Read more here: https://dailygazette.com
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albany, New York
Piper Aircraft Inc.; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Aviation Accident Data Summary - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
A and N Company Inc: http://registry.faa.gov/N2241Q
Location: Esperance, NY
Accident Number: ERA16FA257
Date & Time: 07/16/2016, 1845 EDT
Registration: N2241Q
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28R-201
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Collision during takeoff/land
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On July 16, 2016, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201, N2241Q, collided with terrain after takeoff from Hogan Airport (NY05), Esperance, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured, the three passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at NY05 and was destined for Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), New Haven, Connecticut.
According to a fixed base operator at HVN, on the day of the accident, the airplane was fueled with 14 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, which brought the fuel level to "just above the tabs." The pilot then flew the airplane with the three passengers onboard from HVN to NY05. According to witnesses, the pilot and passengers attended a party at NY05. A witness reported that the accident airplane was the last of a group of airplanes to depart from NY05 and that another pilot had suggested to the accident pilot that he depart on runway 12L. A review of surveillance video revealed that the airplane took off on runway 30R, which was 3,000 ft long; the first 600 ft and the final 400 ft of runway 30R were turf, and middle 2,000 ft was asphalt. The surveillance video showed that the pilot began the takeoff roll where the paved section of the runway began (with 2,400 ft of available runway). During the takeoff roll, the nosewheel of the airplane lifted off and then settled back onto the runway. The nosewheel lifted again, and the airplane became airborne with about 900 ft of runway remaining.
Several witnesses observed the airplane's takeoff from runway 30R. They consistently described the airplane's takeoff as "slow" and "sluggish" and reported that it entered a "gentle" left turn immediately after takeoff. One witness stated that the airplane attempted to rotate earlier than the other airplanes that were departing that day. When the airplane became airborne, "the nose was pitched so high that the wings wallowed;" the witness then reached for his phone to dial 911. The airplane overflew a hangar located left of the departure end of the runway at a low altitude as it continued its left turn before descending into trees. Another witness stated that "the airplane was under full power the entire time. The engine did not fail."
Due to his injuries, the pilot was not interviewed. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he had "no personal recollection of the subject flight."
Radar track data obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) depicted the airplane in a left turn after takeoff. The airplane climbed to about 100 ft above ground level, and its groundspeed ranged between 58 and 67 knots from takeoff to the final radar target. The radar track ended about 100 ft beyond the departure end of the runway and about 1,000 ft left of the runway centerline.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on May 1, 2015. The pilot reported about 561 total hours of flight experience. The pilot's logbooks were not recovered and no determination could be made of his flight experience in the accident airplane make and model.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360 engine driving a McCauley two-blade, constant-speed propeller.
The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on March 1, 2016, at 6,573.6 total aircraft hours.
The airplane's weight and balance condition at the time of takeoff was calculated based on the estimated fuel onboard the airplane and the estimated weights of the passengers. According to the information provided by the fixed base operator at HVN, the airplane departed HVN with about 25 gallons or about 300 lbs of usable fuel. Fuel burn from HVN to NY05 was estimated to be about 8 gallons or 48 lbs.
The airplane's takeoff weight at NY05 was calculated to be 2,816.5 lbs, which was 66.5 lbs above the maximum allowable gross weight of 2,750 lbs. There are no performance charts for any weight above the maximum gross weight.
The performance charts indicated that at the airplane's maximum allowable gross weight, the estimated takeoff ground roll was 2,180 ft and the total distance to clear a 50-ft obstacle was 2,750 ft.
According to the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane, the rotation speed for a normal takeoff was between 65 and 75 knots indicated airspeed (KIAS). With a flap setting of 25°, the rotation speed for a short-field takeoff was between 50 and 60 KIAS. After liftoff, the pilot was to increase airspeed to 55 to 65 KIAS.
There are no performance charts or procedures for a 10° flap setting during takeoff. The performance charts do not consider the effects of a grass runway surface on takeoff and landing performance.
The gross weight stalling speed with power off and full flaps is 55 KIAS, and, with flaps up, this speed is increased 5 knots. Loss of altitude during stall can be as great as 400 ft depending on configuration and power. The manufacturer did not publish power-on stall speeds for the airplane. The best rate of climb speed at gross weight is 90 KIAS, and the best angle of climb speed is 78 KIAS.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
At 1851, the weather reported at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York, located about 23 nautical miles east of the accident site, included wind from 030° at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles; few clouds at 5,000 ft, scattered clouds at 11,000 ft, broken clouds at 22,000 ft, overcast at 25,000 ft; temperature 27°C; dew point 16°C; and altimeter 30.04 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude at NY05 was about 3,000 ft.
The density altitude at HVN when the airplane departed at 1845 was 1,971 ft.
Airport Information
NY05 was a private-use airport at 1,260 ft elevation, configured with two parallel runways, each of which was 3,000 ft long. Runway 12R/30L was a turf runway, and runway 12L/30R combined both asphalt and turf surfaces.
The elevation of HVN was 12.4 ft. HVN is equipped with two asphalt runways; runway 2/20 is 5600 ft long, and runway 14/32 is 3,626 ft long.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest in swampy, wooded terrain and was destroyed by impact and postcrash fire. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The wreckage path was oriented on a 180° magnetic heading and was 60 ft in length. The main wreckage was oriented on a magnetic heading of 350° and rested upright about 1,400 ft beyond the departure end of the runway and about 700 ft left of the runway's centerline.
The right stabilator and a portion of the right wing were separated and found in trees along the debris path. All flight controls surfaces were accounted for at the accident site, and flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to each control surface. The left wing was separated at the wing root and had thermal damage on the inboard portion. The right wing was still attached to the fuselage and sustained substantial thermal damage. The flap control handle indicated a flap position of 10°.
The cockpit and fuselage were destroyed by fire. Both propeller blades exhibited aft bending and leading-edge polishing. The landing gear was retracted.
The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller, and continuity of the drive train, valve train, and accessory section were established. The sparkplugs showed signs of normal wear. The magnetos were destroyed by fire. Thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders. Examination of the engine and disassembly of its accessories revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies.
Medical And Pathological Information
The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of samples from the pilot, which were negative for ethanol and drugs of abuse.
Additional Information
According to FAA Pamphlet FAA-P-8740-2, Density Altitude:
Whether due to high altitude, high temperature, or both, reduced air density (reported in terms of density altitude) adversely affects aerodynamic performance and decreases the engine's horsepower output. Takeoff distance, power available (in normally aspirated engines), and climb rate are all adversely affected. Landing distance is affected as well; although the indicated airspeed (IAS) remains the same, the true airspeed (TAS) increases. From the pilot's point of view, therefore, an increase in density altitude results in the following:
• Increased takeoff distance.
• Reduced rate of climb.
• Increased TAS (but same IAS) on approach and landing.
• Increased landing roll distance.
Because high density altitude has particular implications for takeoff/climb performance and landing distance, pilots must be sure to determine the reported density altitude and check the appropriate aircraft performance charts carefully during preflight preparation. A pilot's first reference for aircraft performance information should be the operational data section of the aircraft owner's manual or the Pilot's Operating Handbook developed by the aircraft manufacturer. In the example given in the previous text, the pilot may be operating from an airport at 500 ft MSL, but he or she must calculate performance as if the airport were located at 5,000 ft. A pilot who is complacent or careless in using the charts may find that density altitude effects create an unexpected –and unwelcome – element of suspense during takeoff and climb or during landing.
According to the Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Information, Chapter 3 (pg. 3-3, para. 1) per the section entitled Density Altitude (DA):
DA is the vertical distance above sea level in the standard atmosphere at which a given density is to be found. The density of air has significant effects on the aircraft's performance because as air becomes less dense, it reduces:
• Power because the engine takes in less air.
• Thrust because a propeller is less efficient in thin air.
• Lift because the thin air exerts less force on the air foils.
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 38, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/01/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: (Estimated) , 561.3 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Manufacturer: PIPER
Registration: N2241Q
Model/Series: PA 28R-201 201
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 28R-7737029
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/01/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2749 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 6573.6 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C126 installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-360-C1C6
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 200 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KALB, 312 ft msl
Observation Time: 2251 UTC
Distance from Accident Site: 23 Nautical Miles
Direction from Accident Site: 95°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Few / 5000 ft agl
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 16°C
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 22000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 3 knots, 30°
Visibility (RVR):
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Visibility (RVV):
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Esperance, NY (NY05)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: NEW HAVEN, CT (HVN)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 1845 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class G
Airport Information
Airport: HOGAN (NY05)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt; Grass/turf
Airport Elevation: 1260 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 30R
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3000 ft / 27 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 3 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: On-Ground
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 42.780556, -74.331944
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 16, 2016 in Esperance, NY
Aircraft: PIPER PA 28R-201, registration: N2241Q
Injuries: 3 Fatal, 1 Serious.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 16, 2016, about 1845 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201, N2241Q, was destroyed by collision with terrain and a post-crash fire after takeoff from Hogan Airport (NY05), Esperance, New York. The private pilot was seriously injured and three passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at NY05, and was destined for Tweed-New Haven Airport (HVN), New Haven, Connecticut. There was no flight plan filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Several witness provided statements, and their accounts of the accident were consistent throughout. During the takeoff roll from runway 30R, the nose wheel of the airplane lifted off and then settled back onto the runway. The nose wheel lifted again and the airplane became airborne. Witnesses stated that the airplane rotated with approximately 500 feet of the 2,000-foot paved runway remaining. The airplane overflew a hangar at the departure end of the runway "at a very low altitude" as it began a left turn.
Preliminary radar data provided by the Federal Aviation administration depicted a target correlated to be the accident airplane in a left turn after takeoff. The target climbed to about 100 feet above ground level (agl), and the radar track ended about 1,000 feet laterally beyond the departure runway.
The airplane was examined at the accident site on flat, swampy, wooded terrain, and all major components were accounted for at the scene. The wreckage path began in trees about 50 feet above the ground, was oriented about 170 degrees magnetic. The main wreckage came to rest oriented 350 degrees magnetic and was consumed by post-crash fire.
The right stabilator and a portion of the right wing were separated and found in trees along the debris path. All flight controls surfaces were accounted for at the accident site, and flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to their respective control inputs. The left wing was separated at the wing root and had thermal damage on the inboard portion. The right wing was still attached to the fuselage and sustained substantial thermal damage. The cockpit and fuselage were destroyed by fire.
The flap control handle indicated a flap position of 10 degrees. Both propeller blades exhibited aft bending. The landing gear was retracted.
The four seat, low wing, retractable tricycle landing gear-equipped airplane, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-360, 200 horsepower engine, equipped with a McCauley two-blade, constant-speed propeller.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, and instrument airplane. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on May 1, 2015, and he reported 385 total hours of flight experience on that date.
At 1851, the weather reported at Albany International Airport (ALB), Albany, New York, located about 23 nautical miles east of the accident site, included wind from 030 degrees at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds 5,000 feet agl, scattered clouds at 11,000 feet agl, a broken ceiling at 22,000 feet agl, overcast skies at 25,000 feet agl. The temperature was 27 degrees C, the dew point was 16 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.04 inches of mercury.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.
ReplyDeleteThis hits very close to home. I occasionally fly a PA-28R-201T (turbo arrow III), same year.
It is one of my favorite flyers and with the tapered wing and a speed fairing kit it is relatively speedy in the cruise (148 knots at 70% power).
Like the investigation said I notice the the 1977 POH is limited in some areas compared to modern POH documents. I do not think the 10 degree flap setting is a problem at all with a gross weight takeoff, but initiating a turn when not climbing well in any airplane is a climb performance reducing maneuver and it sounds like they had no excess HP available.
I will go back to the POH for more study on this. It points out the extreme importance of doing a weight and balance when near gross weight and accelerating as rapidly as possible to the 96 knot climb speed as published, which sometimes means a relatively flat climb.
ReplyDeleteHorrific crash, the witness' description of screams from those folks being burned alive is spine chilling. Then the audacity of Jason Kline pleading amnesia to protect his own hide. Obviously pilot error, hope Kline gets sued upwards of his life savings.