A Piper Lance’s horizontal stabilator moved to and remained in a full, or near-full, nose-up deflection during a take-off accident at Shellharbour Airport, NSW, an ATSB final report details.
Three people – a pilot and two passengers – on board the Piper PA-32R-300 Cherokee Lance were fatally injured when it collided with terrain soon after take-off at Shellharbour on 11 October last year.
The aircraft was departing for a planned private flight to Bathurst, when, after a ground roll of 410 m on Shellharbour’s runway 26, it abruptly pitched up, yawed left, and became airborne.
Once airborne the aircraft climbed away from the runway in a nose high attitude while skidding and rolling left. Following a left-turning flight path, it reached a maximum height above the ground of about 50 ft, before it began descending.
The aircraft collided with terrain and came to rest at the threshold of the intersecting runway, runway 34.
ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell said CCTV footage and witness photographs of the flight showed the horizontal stabilator, which provides pitch control, moved to a full, or near-full, nose-up position, as the take-off roll occurred, and remained there for the entire flight.
The reason why the stabilator moved to the full, or near-full, nose-up position, could not be determined, however.
“Despite our extensive efforts, there wasn’t sufficient evidence available to us to make findings as to what caused the sustained pitch up of the horizontal stabilator, well beyond the normal control inputs required for take-off rotation and climbing flight,” Mr Mitchell said.
The report notes that the stabilator trim was selected correctly, examination of the aircraft’s flight control and trim systems did not identify any pre-accident defects, and the observed stabilator anti-servo tab position during the flight indicated it was operating correctly.
Neither control seat slid rearward, and there was no evidence to indicate that the stabilator deflection resulted from any intentional or inadvertent action or a medical episode of the pilot or passengers.
The aircraft, which was not equipped with an autopilot servo on the stabilator control, also did not appear to have been subjected to an external influence such as an animal strike or environmental effect, while all cabin and baggage compartment doors appeared to be correctly secured.
The report noted the yaw observed in the CCTV footage during and after take-off was consistent with the spiralling slipstream created by the aircraft propeller acting on the left side of the vertical stabiliser.
These forces result in an aircraft with a right‑turning propeller, such as the Lance, yawing left with an associated rolling tendency, particularly during high engine power settings and low speeds, such as at take-off.
Photographs taken of the aircraft in flight showed the rudder was maintained in a neutral position. As such, the left yaw and roll and left-turning flightpath likely occurred because the left-turning tendency was not being corrected with rudder input.
However, right aileron input during the flight and a reduction in engine power just before impact indicated attempts to correct the flightpath and reduce the severity of the impact.
“Pilots are not typically trained for an uncommanded pitch-up during take-off scenario, which would present as an unexpected and challenging situation,” Mr Mitchell concluded.
The report notes that if not able to be rapidly corrected, an uncommanded pitch-up during take-off can lead to a stall and a loss of control.
Read the final report: Collision with terrain involving Piper PA-32R-300, VH-JVA, Shellharbour Airport, New South Wales, on 11 October 2025