Accident Details
On May 7, 2011, at 1030 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, registration N7317W, was substantially damaged during a collision with terrain after takeoff from a 1,200-foot private grass strip in Ocilla, Georgia. The certificated private pilot/owner and three passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The intended destination was Fitzgerald Municipal Airport (FZG), approximately four miles north, for a fuel purchase.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported to the responding FAA inspector that he turned the airplane to the right immediately after liftoff to avoid a tree in the flight path. According to the pilot, the engine then stopped producing power, the stall warning activated, and the airplane remained in a right bank until ground contact.
Scene Findings
The airplane came to rest upright in a cultivated field less than one-half mile from the departure strip. Photographs taken by first responders showed significant tip-curling, leading edge gouging, and chord-wise scratching of both propeller blades. Impact damage included damage to the lower engine cowling, right-wing leading edge, and a broken windscreen on the left side of the cockpit. There was no visible evidence of an in-flight or post-crash fire at the accident site.
Police Chief Actions
The Chief of Police, a certificated pilot, reported that upon arrival he turned off the fuel boost pump, the magnetos, and moved the fuel selector from the right tank position to the off position. He later disconnected the battery. When asked about the fuel state, the Chief stated the left tank was "dry" and the right tank contained "not very much" fuel.
Post-Accident Fire
After first responders cleared the scene, local police periodically checked on the wreckage into the late evening hours. The FAA inspector responded the following day and found the airframe destroyed by fire. The fire damage was limited to the cockpit and cabin areas, which were completely consumed. The engine compartment forward of the firewall displayed only minor fire damage, and neither wing was burned.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He reported 450 hours of flight experience, with 100 hours in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued December 18, 2008. The airplane was manufactured in 1963, and the pilot/owner reported approximately 3,200 total hours on the airframe. The pilot stated that the logbooks were destroyed in the fire that occurred in the cabin overnight.
Examination
The airplane was recovered from the field, and a detailed examination of the airframe and powerplant conducted by the FAA inspector and an NTSB investigator revealed no evidence of pre-impact anomalies.