On July 2, 1983, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N9103A) was involved in an aviation accident near Brooksville, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a tree. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During an aborted takeoff, the pilot lost directional control after realizing airspeed was not registering. An inspection revealed a wasp nest obstructing the pitot tube.
What happened
The aircraft collided with a tree during an aborted takeoff sequence. The incident occurred when the pilot realized that the airspeed indicator was not providing any readings. As the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff, directional control of the aircraft was lost, causing it to veer sharply to the left before impacting the tree.
The investigation
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed a mechanical malfunction in the airspeed indicator system. Investigators found that a wasp nest had formed inside the pitot tube. This obstruction was not readily apparent during standard visual inspections, effectively blocking the sensor and preventing accurate airspeed data from reaching the instrument.
Findings
The primary contributing factor to this accident was the pilot's inability to monitor airspeed due to the blocked pitot tube. The presence of the wasp nest inside the pitot tube prevented the airspeed indicator from functioning correctly. This mechanical failure led directly to the loss of directional control during the critical takeoff phase.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an aborted takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a tree. Contributing to the accident was the malfunction of the airspeed indicator due to a wasp nest obstructing the pitot tube, which was not readily apparent during inspection.