On April 24, 1989, a Cessna 170 (registration N4409V) operated by Paul Hatala was involved in an aviation accident near Orwell, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TAKEOFF ON UNSUITABLE TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO CLEAR THE FENCE(S) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE SOFT RUNWAY/TERRAIN CONDITIONS & THE FENCE. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot's takeoff from a private 1,300-foot airstrip with soft, plowed ground led to deceleration, fence strikes, and a nose-over after landing.
Incident Overview
A pilot initiated a takeoff from a private airstrip measuring approximately 1,300 feet in length. According to reports, a portion of the runway had recently been plowed and was soft. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft began to decelerate and failed to gain sufficient speed to clear a fence located at the end of the strip.
Sequence of Events
As the aircraft continued, the left main landing gear snagged a wire, and the horizontal stabilizer struck a fence post. The aircraft then cleared a second fence but subsequently hit a third fence. After these collisions, the aircraft landed but encountered soft terrain, which caused it to nose over.
Conclusion
The investigation did not provide a probable cause for the incident.