N1470T

On November 19, 1994, at 1215 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N1470T, piloted by Mr. Gregory Mitchell, of Worthington, Pennsylvania, struck a fence and trees on takeoff from McVille Airport, Freeport, Pennsylvania. The airplane received substantial damage. The pilot was not injured, however, the two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which operated under 14 CFR Part 91.

The FAA reported the pilot held a student pilot certificate. He had been signed off for a solo cross-country flight. The route of flight took the airplane across McVille airport; however, McVille airport was not on the approved routing for the flight. The pilot landed at McVille airport, and boarded two passengers. He attempted a takeoff on runway 18, which was 2250 feet long and had a turf surface. The airplane got airborne, however, the pilot was unable to get a proper climb established.

The airplane overran the runway and went through a fence, settling to the ground three times. The terrain then sloped down and the airplane struck the tops of trees beyond the runway. The airplane came to rest nose down, in a wooded area.

When interviewed by the FAA, the pilot reported he used one notch of flaps, and the airplane flight manual recommended two notches of flaps for a short field takeoff. Gouges were reported in the turf runway, and in an open field past the departure end of the runway, similar to the tail skid on the airplane. Additionally, a check of the airplane weight and balance revealed the airplane was 59 lbs over its maximum takeoff gross weight.