19990723009429A

Aviation charters air taxi crashed shortly after take-off and sustained substantial damage, the pilot/sole occupant was not injured, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on July 23, 1999, at 0723 central daylight time, a Beech G18S, N621KE, operated by may air express, received substantial damage on impact with terrain following a loss of right engine power on initial climb from runway 12L (10,000 feet by 200 feet, dry grooved concrete) at Minneapolis-st. Paul international (msp), Minneapolis, Minnesota.. The 14 CFR part 135 cargo flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight was en route to duluth, Minnesota. The pilot stated that he repositioned from flying cloud airport, Minneapolis airport, at 0515, to msp. The pilot stated that he had completed a runup while number five for departure. He stated that his departure clearance from msp was to turn to a heading of 020 degrees up to 4,000 feet. In describing the takeoff, the pilot reported that he had set the engine power to 33 inches of manifold pressure, the tail then came up, "as it should have before 60 knots", and the landing gear was retracted after b ecoming airborne. Upon reaching 300 feet above the runway and approximately half way through a left turn to a heading of 020, he believed that the right engine lost power. The pilot added that he looked back at the runway and saw that there was probably enough runway remaining to execute a landing, so he brought the power back and headed towards the runway. He reported that his descent rate was "pretty great" and that it looked to him as if he was going to end up off the runway. He brought some power forward, then brought it back again and then lowered the landing gear right at the last second in order to break the fall of the aircraft. He further stated that the gear collapsed and the aircraft skidded to the side of the runway. (-23) departed msp runway 12L, after a/c became airborne, rt. Engine quit. The a/c leveled off at approx. 100 to 200 ft., then descended abruptly and impacted the runway. Both tires blew and a/c veered to the left and went into the grass. The lt landing gear collapsed. The lt propeller struck the ground and was damaged. Both engines sagged from the firewall. In the area of the tail the fuselage sustained wrinkles. After the engine quit, the rt. Throttle was never restarted, but was left in the takeoff position.