The pilot reported that the density altitude conditions were increasing but were within takeoff performance limits.
During taxi to his planned departure runway at the airport in Elko, Nevada, he was informed that the runway was closed, so he chose to depart from a different runway about 4,400 feet shorter than originally planned for.
During takeoff the Piper PA-28-140 did not have the performance necessary to attain rotation speed before the end of the runway, but the pilot did not abort the takeoff.
He rotated the airplane 5-10 knots too slow and was unable to clear a fence off the departure end of the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage, while the pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure adequate airplane performance before taking off from a significantly shorter runway than originally planned for.
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This July 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The Cherokee 140 is a wonderful little airplane, but you have to respect its limits. Start with the back seats, don’t use them. Then the fuel, unless you’re headed somewhere far away, only fill it to the tabs. Any kind of density altitude??? Fly in the morning.
Considering he was based at the airport, it’s a bit confusing as to why the airplane’s performance was any surprise. He was taking a friend along for some aviation orientation and sight seeing. Was this another case of an external factor negatively influencing a go/no-go decision?
The POH specifies using 25 deg flaps for a short field takeoff. The pic shows ‘0’ flaps.
It should have been able to takeoff in 3,000, but maybe not much altitude, but probably more than a 6 ft fence.!!
So, it was a poor understanding of the aircraft performance.
At the rate we’re breaking airplanes there won’t be many left. I recently went on Barnstormers and the first three pages of browsing were filled with parts and services – it was on page 4 that I finally found an airplane.
A huge mistake, with the DA at 7,100 ft, the POH takeoff chart is ‘invalid’ about 7,000 ft DA.
So, a 3,000 ft runway was about 500 ft too short for this low powered aircraft.!!
typo…that’s ‘above 7,000 ft’….