CHI99LA240

Factual narrative

On July 17, 1999, at 1500 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N9653J, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when the airplane struck a fence and subsequently impacted the terrain during a forced landing to a field. Previous to the forced landing attempt, the airplane was on departure from the Butler Memorial Airport, Butler, Missouri, when its engine began to lose power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. There was no flight plan on file. The pilot reported no injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. In his written statement, the pilot said that he had just taken off from runway 18 (4,000' X 75') at the Butler Memorial Airport, and was approximately 100-150 feet above the ground, when the airplane's engine lost power, but did not stop. The pilot said he leveled off to see if he could land on the remaining runway. When he lowered the nose of the airplane, the engine began developing power again. The pilot said that the engine did not develop full power, but it was enough for him to gain a few more feet of altitude. The pilot elected to turn left into the traffic pattern. As the airplane turned onto downwind leg, the engine "gave out again". The pilot turned the airplane toward the runway and set up for a forced landing to the adjacent field. While descending, the pilot noticed rising terrain in front of him. To avoid stalling the airplane, the pilot turned 45 degrees toward the runway to avoid the rise. The pilot then noticed a barb-wire fence in front of him. The pilot said that the terrain beneath him was uneven and rough. The pilot said, "I managed to keep the airplane flying until I got caught in the fence." Each wing struck a fence post. The airplane turned around and stopped approximately 80-100 feet beyond the fence. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The airplane was resting upright in a field, oriented on a 150 degree magnetic heading. The airplane's right wing tip was broken aft. The right wing fuel tank was broken open. The right wing front spar attach fitting was pulled loose at the fuselage and bent aft. The right wing's main spar was twisted aft. The right wing aft spar wing attach fitting was crushed into the fuselage. The airplane's left wing leading edge was crushed up and aft, just inside of mid-span. The left wing fuel tank was split open. The wheel pants on all three landing gear were broken off. The propeller showed some chordwise scratches. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The engine was examined and run, and showed no anomalies. Examination of the other airplane systems revealed no anomalies. The pilot said that he had just taken off and was approximately 100-150 feet above the ground, when the airplane's engine lost power, but did not stop. The pilot leveled off to see if he could land on the remaining runway. When he lowered the nose of the airplane, the engine began developing power again. The pilot elected to turn left into the traffic pattern. As the airplane turned onto downwind leg, the engine 'gave out again'. The pilot turned the airplane toward the runway and set up for a forced landing to an adjacent field. While descending, the pilot noticed rising terrain in front of him. To avoid stalling the airplane, the pilot said he turned 45 degrees toward the runway to avoid the rise. The pilot then noticed a barb-wire fence in front of him. The pilot said that the terrain beneath him was uneven and rough. The pilot said, 'I managed to keep the airplane flying until I got caught in the fence.' Each wing struck a fence post. The airplane turned around and stopped approximately 80-100 feet beyond the fence. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12