Summary
On December 05, 2018, a Piper PA28 (N839AL) was involved in an incident near Cornelia, GA. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The flight instructor's failure to maintain the runway heading during an attempted takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
The flight instructor reported that, during a touch and go landing in a crosswind, and the student pilot on the controls, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, "but without perfect longitudinal (heading) alignment", and the airplane veered left. The instructor took control of the airplane, added power to takeoff, but did not retract any of the "partial" flaps. She maintained the "slightly" offset direction during the takeoff roll and the airplane became airborne as it exited the left side of the runway. The left wing impacted trees and brush.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA19CA088. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N839AL.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The flight instructor's failure to maintain the runway heading during an attempted takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that, during a touch and go landing in a crosswind, and the student pilot on the controls, the airplane touched down on the runway centerline, "but without perfect longitudinal (heading) alignment", and the airplane veered left. The instructor took control of the airplane, added power to takeoff, but did not retract any of the "partial" flaps. She maintained the "slightly" offset direction during the takeoff roll and the airplane became airborne as it exited the left side of the runway. The left wing impacted trees and brush. Subsequently, the airplane came to rest at the bottom of a ravine.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The automated weather observation station located at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 330° at 7 knots, gusting to 14 knots. The airplane landed on runway 6.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA19CA088