N9361J

On July 4, 1999, at 1645 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N9361J, ditched in a pond following an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip near Chuckey, Tennessee. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private pilot and passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Chuckey, Tennessee, at 1644.

Reportedly, the airplane took off from the private airstrip at Chuckey Road. According to the pilot, shortly after liftoff from the runway a climb profile could not be maintained. The pilot elected to continue the takeoff procedure. While maneuvering for a forced landing, the left wing collided with a utility pole, and the airplane ditched in a nearby pond.

The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane. The pilot also reported that, within a few minutes of his attempted takeoff, several other airplanes had departed the airstrip without experiencing a problem. A review of current weather data from the nearest reporting facility disclosed that conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. The temperature was 90 degrees, and the dew point was 72 degrees.