NTSB CEN10CA518 — 2010-08-31 · Anderson, Indiana, United States

Current FAA registration · N3969K

Make / Model: PIPER PA-28-140
Engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19680222
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A49CB0

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3969K Piper PA-28-140 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s failure to abort the takeoff due to degraded airplane performance.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that he was giving a "discovery flight." After takeoff from the 3400 foot runway, the airplane did not continue to climb or gain altitude. According to the pilot the airplane started to sink and he lowered the airplane's nose. The airplane continued to sink and it sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain. The pilot's accident report listed no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the accident flight. The calculated local density altitude was 3,099 feet. The pilot reported that he was conducting an introductory flight with two passengers. During departure, the airplane did not continue climbing or gain altitude due to the high density altitude. The airplane started to descend and he lowered the nose. The airplane continued to sink and it sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane in reference to the accident flight. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2010_CEN10CA518.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.