On October 15, 1995, a Piper PA-22 (registration N834A) was involved in an aviation accident near Crawfordsville, IN. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inability to climb and subsequent impact with terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A Piper PA-22 Colt impacted a field shortly after takeoff at full flaps and 65 mph. The pilot reported the aircraft felt like it was in a downdraft with airspeed failing to increase.
What happened
The pilot initiated a short field takeoff using full flaps while maintaining an airspeed of 65 mph. After leaving the ground, he retracted the flaps to the fully up position. The pilot reported that the aircraft behaved as though it were encountering a downdraft, and the airspeed remained stuck at 65 mph without increasing. Subsequently, the airplane impacted the left wing low in a field.
The investigation
Review of the PA-22 flight manual revealed that the document does not provide guidance or performance data for takeoffs conducted with full or partial flap settings.
Findings
The pilot's report indicates that the aircraft failed to accelerate normally after flap retraction during a short field departure. The lack of procedural guidance in the flight manual for this specific configuration may have contributed to the outcome.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in an inability to climb and subsequent impact with terrain.
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