On July 3, 1990, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N25759) operated by Vernair, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Cantwell, AK. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT FAILED TO UNDERSTAND THE PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF THE AIRPLANE AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE AT A GREATER THAN ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The pilot reported the airplane did not climb as anticipated and settled into brush shortly after departure. Weight and balance documents showed it was 40 pounds over maximum gross weight, and performance data indicated insufficient runway to clear obstructions.
Report Details
The pilot reported that the airplane did not climb as well as he had anticipated and that it settled into brush shortly after departure.
Weight and Balance
Examination of weight and balance documents supplied by the pilot, along with the airplane's weight and balance records, disclosed that the airplane was 40 pounds over the allowable gross weight at the time of the accident.
Performance Data
Consulting the performance data contained in the airplane's operating handbook revealed that the airplane would have required considerably more runway than what was available to clear obstructions at the end of the runway.