What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed on takeoff. (From .4) the pilot took off from a 4400-foot-long gravel airstrip with a near gross weight load of cargo. He said that shortly after lift-off the airplane felt 'sluggish', and he believes the left engine began to lose power. He said the airplane would not climb, and he elected to bring both engines to idle and land on the remaining runway. The airplane touched down a short distance from the end of the runway, and continued off the end and into the woods. A fire erupted, and the airplane was destroyed by fire. The pilot is unsure if the fire occurred in the air, or shortly after the airplane went off the end of the runway. The engines were extensively damaged by fire, and were not examined. FAA inspectors on scene said there was no obvious signs of catastrophic engine failure.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (FROM .4) THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM A 4400-FOOT-LONG GRAVEL AIRSTRIP WITH A NEAR GROSS WEIGHT LOAD OF CARGO. HE SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF THE AIRPLANE FELT 'SLUGGISH', AND HE BELIEVES THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB, AND HE ELECTED TO BRING BOTH ENGINES TO IDLE AND LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND CONTINUED OFF THE END AND INTO THE WOODS. A FIRE ERUPTED, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE PILOT IS UNSURE IF THE FIRE OCCURRED IN THE AIR, OR SHORTLY AFTER THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE ENGINES WERE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE, AND WERE NOT EXAMINED. FAA INSPECTORS ON SCENE SAID THERE WAS NO OBVIOUS SIGNS OF CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N765D · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.