What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed into a corn field under unknown circumstances. (.19) on December 3, 1998, at 0500 central standard time, a Beech 58, N7278R, sustained substantial damage on impact with the terrain, one-quarter mile south of toddfield, near Ankeny, Iowa. The commercial rated pilot reported IMC conditions during the takeoff on runway 17. He told federal aviation administration officials that the airplane lifted off near the end of the 2,300 foot runway, but was unable to maintain flight. The flight originated as a 14 CFR part 91 repositioning flight with the intended destination of cedar rapids, Iowa, for the purpose of picking up a passenger under provisions of 14 CFR part 135, on demand air-taxi. (.4) during initial climb the airplane descended into the terrain. The pilot said that when he attempted to rotate the airplane for liftoff, there was resistance on the yoke. He continued to say that as the airplane lifted off the resistance gave way and the airplane 'popped' into the air. He said that the airplane reached an altitude of about 25 to 50 feet above ground level prior to descending into the terrain. A post accident examination o f of the airplane failed to reveal the nature of the resistance. Control continuity was compromised behind the instrument panel during the impact sequence.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED INTO A CORN FIELD UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES. (.19) ON DECEMBER 3, 1998, AT 0500 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 58, N7278R, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN, ONE-QUARTER MILE SOUTH OF TODDFIELD, NEAR ANKENY, IOWA. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT REPORTED IMC CONDITIONS DURING THE TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 17. HE TOLD FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION OFFICIALS THAT THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF NEAR THE END OF THE 2,300 FOOT RUNWAY, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITIONING FLIGHT WITH THE INTENDED DESTINATION OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PICKING UP A PASSENGER UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 135, ON DEMAND AIR-TAXI. (.4) DURING INITIAL CLIMB THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED INTO THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ROTATE THE AIRPLANE FOR LIFTOFF, THERE WAS RESISTANCE ON THE YOKE. HE CONTINUED TO SAY THAT AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THE RESISTANCE GAVE WAY AND THE AIRPLANE 'POPPED' INTO THE AIR. HE SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 25 TO 50 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL PRIOR TO DESCENDING INTO THE TERRAIN. A POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION O F OF THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO REVEAL THE NATURE OF THE RESISTANCE. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS COMPROMISED BEHIND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.