Patrick's accident report

[flyboy0681]

Here are the official findings. Sad sad sad.

 

http://dms.ntsb.gov/aviation/AccidentReports/4owt0o45txbpxk45yivearz41/T06202013120000.pdf

 

 

 

[FAST FLIGHT OPTIONS LLC]

I’ve never been one to second guess people but for the life of me I can’t figure out why someone would make an intersection departure on a 2400ft runway with obstacles at the departure end at night in a normally aspirated Mooney which doesn’t have all that great of a climb rate.  Sad indeed

[Marauder]

Sad but not unexpected from what we knew of the situation. An instructor once said to me that "complacency is your enemy in aviation".

[BigTex]

It was after dark and this was the first time he was at this field. So I suspect he didn't realize it hadn't taxied to the end of the runway. This is another example why I gave up night flying... Very sad.

[rbridges]

very unfortunate.  

[N601RX]

I also remember him stating that his plane did not have the climb performance of other J's.  I think I remember saying that him and another member had went up and done some comparison test.

[flyboy0681]

I also remember him stating that his plane did not have the climb performance of other J's.  I think I remember saying that him and another member had went up and done some comparison test.

 

Very interesting comment. In hindsight you probably should have shared it with the NTSB.

[robert7467]

This supports what I read in the killing zone, about pilots thinking just because their plane is in ground effect that its ready to climb, and then they see trees, and instead of letting airspeed build up, the start pulling back to avoid the trees.

[BigTex]

Check out the taxi diagram for the airport (70N) and you can see where the taxiway crosses midfield to the other side. I can see how someone at a strange field at night might think they were at the end of the runway.

[scottfromiowa]

live...and learn. I hope everyone that read the summation can say "never again".

Did not know about the midfield departure. Explanations sound feasible. If life could only provide re-do's like video games...

I miss Patrick's posts. His enthusiasm was infectious.

[Marauder]

Check out the taxi diagram for the airport (70N) and you can see where the taxiway crosses midfield to the other side. I can see how someone at a strange field at night might think they were at the end of the runway.

Except for the fact he wouldn't have seen numbers at the taxiway entrance. If he suspected, like what was mentioned above, that his J was a poor climber, he had to know to use ALL of the available runway. Combine this with an airport that sits at 1700 feet and a 13C air temp at night, it was not a good situation to be in.

[Marauder]

live...and learn. I hope everyone that read the summation can say "never again". Did not know about the midfield departure. Explanations sound feasible. If life could only provide re-do's like video games... I miss Patrick's posts. His enthusiasm was infectious.

If he took off mid-field, the runway would have looked awfully short with the runway lights ending in 1400 feet or less. There was another taxiway entrance near the departure end of 23. That would have given him more distance but with the density altitude, upslope, 3 guys on board and a hill at the end, things weren't stacking things in his favor.

[Jerry 5TJ]

Experienced professional crews have certainly taken off (or tried) on the wrong runway.   For a less experienced, single pilot operating at night in light rain and unfamiliar with the airport to mistake the intersection as the end seems easy to believe.   It could happen to me.

 

 

[Marauder]

http://www.google.com/maps?q=Spring+Hill+Airport&hl=en&ll=41.347272,-75.413675&spn=0.006363,0.009645&sll=37.6,-95.665&sspn=54.054668,79.013672&t=h&hq=Spring+Hill+Airport&z=17

[flyboy0681]

Check out the taxi diagram for the airport (70N) and you can see where the taxiway crosses midfield to the other side. I can see how someone at a strange field at night might think they were at the end of the runway.

 

A very sickening photo.

[chrisk]

I think about this accident quite often.  As a result, I have given myself a personal minimum.  I don't take off mid field, unless I have at least 5000 of runway in front of me.  Over conservative for sure, but taxing another 1000 or 1500 feet really doesn't take all that much time.  And if the plane isn't acting right, it might just give me the time I need.

[201er]

By taxiway intersection do they mean not using the displaced threshold or do they really mean he took off from the midfield intersection!?

[DonMuncy]

I am still very saddened by this accident. I liked Patrick quite a lot. He had an insatiable curiosity and was fun to be around. Without trying to be too judgmental, I sometimes questioned his decisions, such as beginning a flight from California to Texas at 4 or so PM and flying very late into the night.

[jlunseth]

I fear making that mistake (of mistaking my takeoff location on an unfamiliar airport).  I have flown into a lot of them, and at night they can produce some confusion.  I am grateful for the taxiway diagrams on Foreflight, I use them on every single airport where they are available.  A little fear is a good thing. 

 

I am very sorry it happened to a friend.

[kmyfm20s]

Very sad! I dont know Patrick but but its sounds like he was well liked in the Mooney community and will be missed.

 

I do love night flying with the smooth, air quiet radios, and the far off lights but the safety margins are just to low for an emergency landing. I personally limited my night flying to large and/or familar airports in my more recent years, pre-family that was not the case I would take off at anytime. I have definately almost eliminated departing after dark and usually save night flying for landing at home field.

 

I have really enjoyed the Geo-referenced Taxi diagrams and the Climb/Descent calculators on my Ipad for unfamilar airports!

[bumper]

I came to this forum too late to get to know Patrick in print. His accident reminds me of another really "good guy" who we lost back in '02 off the coast of OR. Anyone else here remember Yury Avrutin? A personable, intelligent, and adventurous soul who I was fortunate to meet a couple of times at Buchanon Field, Concord, CA. He sent me a draft of his planned book, "The Viking Route" about his Mooney flight to Europe. I will say he made flight and planning decisions that I thought on the ballsy side. Such a sad loss though, and it seems the same with Patrick.

 

be careful, fly smart,

 

bumper

[xftrplt]

By taxiway intersection do they mean not using the displaced threshold or do they really mean he took off from the midfield intersection!?

My question, too, but if it were the taxiway at the approach end and he had back-taxied the 100' or so, I doubt it would have made any appreciable difference.  I guess they (the NTSB) meant the mid-field, but I'm surprised he even got airborne then.

 

He was a nice kid, pushing to get time a bit too fast.

[N601RX]

I don't think it was midfield.  I remember something either on here originally or in the prelim about not using the 1st few hundred feet.

[DonMuncy]

I don't think it was midfield.  I remember something either on here originally or in the prelim about not using the 1st few hundred feet.

But a look at the runway diagram shows that one (of necessity) would have to use either the full runway or virtually half of it. Unless they back taxied part way, which makes even less sense.

[N601RX]

I think this is what I remembered from the full narrative.  "he did not back taxi to the end to utilize the entire runway"  To me that sound like the last few hundred feet, not midfield

 

 

"After dinner, the group returned to 70N for the return flight to FRG. The pilot was aware of the hill at the departure end of runway 23, since they had seen it in daylight hours during their arrival at 70N. After ground operations, the pilot taxied the airplane to runway 23. He lined up for takeoff at the intersection of the taxiway and runway 23; he did not back taxi to the end to utilize the entire runway. The pilot advanced the throttle to begin the takeoff roll."