Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain crash, Apr 11, 2011, Ric...
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain accident on April 11, 2011 near Richmond-Byrd Field, Virginia, United States with no fatalities. Cause: The pilot did...
- Date: April 11, 2011
- Aircraft: Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
- Location: Richmond-Byrd Field, Virginia, United States
- Fatalities: 0
- Phase of flight: Takeoff and climb
- Cause: The pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb, which led to an aerodynamic stall.
A Navajo Chieftain operated by AirNet Systems was on a night cargo flight from Richmond to Charlotte. It climbed steeply after a fast takeoff roll, then levelled, lost speed and pitched down, striking a parallel taxiway with its gear retracted. The pilot was unhurt and the airplane was substantially damaged.