Event NYC95LA032

Factual narrative

On November 19, 1994, at 1215 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28-140, N1470T, piloted by Mr. Gregory Mitchell, of Worthington, Pennsylvania, struck a fence and trees on takeoff from McVille Airport, Freeport, Pennsylvania. The airplane received substantial damage. The pilot was not injured, however, the two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight which operated under 14 CFR Part 91. The FAA reported the pilot held a student pilot certificate. He had been signed off for a solo cross-country flight. The route of flight took the airplane across McVille airport; however, McVille airport was not on the approved routing for the flight. The pilot landed at McVille airport, and boarded two passengers. He attempted a takeoff on runway 18, which was 2250 feet long and had a turf surface. The airplane got airborne, however, the pilot was unable to get a proper climb established. The airplane overran the runway and went through a fence, settling to the ground three times. The terrain then sloped down and the airplane struck the tops of trees beyond the runway. The airplane came to rest nose down, in a wooded area. When interviewed by the FAA, the pilot reported he used one notch of flaps, and the airplane flight manual recommended two notches of flaps for a short field takeoff. Gouges were reported in the turf runway, and in an open field past the departure end of the runway, similar to the tail skid on the airplane. Additionally, a check of the airplane weight and balance revealed the airplane was 59 lbs over its maximum takeoff gross weight. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD BEEN ENDORSED FOR THE SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE DEVIATED FROM HIS FLIGHT PLAN, FLEW TO MCVILLE AIRPORT, LANDED, AND BOARDED 2 PASSENGERS. DURING THE TAKEOFF FROM THE 2250-FT LONG TURF RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, BUT WAS AIRBORNE BRIEFLY BEFORE IT SETTLED BACK ONTO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE THEN RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A FENCE, WENT DOWN A HILL AND IMPACTED THE TOP OF TREES. THE AIRPLANE WAS 59 LBS OVER MAX TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT, AND THE PILOT HAD USED 10 DEG OF FLAPS FOR TAKEOFF. THE FLIGHT MANUAL RECOMMENDED 25 DEG OF FLAPS FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12