N250JP

Substantial
Minor

PENSINGER ZODIAC 601S/N: 6-5646

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, May 31, 2009
NTSB Number
ERA09CA313
Location
Greeneville, TN
Event ID
20090601X54259
Coordinates
36.296390, -82.760559
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
1
Uninjured
0
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

An encounter with wind shear on initial climb after takeoff.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N250JP
Make
PENSINGER
Serial Number
6-5646
Year Built
2005
Model / ICAO
ZODIAC 601

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
PENSINGER JAMES M
Address
250 CANORES RD
Status
Deregistered
City
AFTON
State / Zip Code
TN 37616-4052
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot stated the departure airport has hills located to the east and north of the airport. He obtained an abbreviated computer weather briefing before the flight. The surface winds at the departure airport were 040 degrees at 6 knots. The surface winds at another airport located 20 nautical miles east of the departure airport were 240 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The pilot departed from runway 4 and started a right turn between 100 to 200 feet AGL just past the hill located to the east. The airspeed on the airplane immediately decreased. The airplane became mushy, and the airplane contacted a tree. The pilot stated he encountered a wind change or wind shear swirling between the two hills. He observed an open field with a farmer bailing hay. The airplane continued to loose altitude, and he made an off field landing. The airplane hit an electrical line and he landed the airplane perpendicular to a road. The airplane collided with an embankment and burst into flames. The pilot stated there were no mechanical problems with the airplane before the accident.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA313