19991002047629A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 401B · Caldwell, NJ · October 2, 1999

Date
October 2, 1999 · 07:51 local
Place
Caldwell, NJ
Airport
Essex County Airport
Phase of flight
To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N88VA
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC00FA001
Reported as
Cessna 401B
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520E
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
738 total118 in this make and model31 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The pilot aborted the takeoff run after the airspeed indication rose to about 80 miles per hour, but would not go any higher. He could not stop the airplane, before it went off the end of the runway, over a berm, and into a drainage ravine. When the airplane was pulled out of the ravine, both pitot covers were still in place, around the pitot tubes. The runway was 4,553 feet long, calculated takeoff distance was about 2,525 feet, and calculated accelerate-stop distance was approximately 2,950 feet. Tire skid marks started around 3,600 feet from the approach end of the runway, and led to the wreckage. About a year earlier, another airplane was destroyed when it ran into the same ravine, which was located about 200 feet from the end of the runway. (-23) during take off roll pilot aborted due to aircraft not accelerating. Aircraft crashed at end of runway into a stream of approc 3' water. Fire on both engines/underwings. All 8 persons escaped. No fatalities. Found both pilot tubes with pilot covers installed. privacy data omitted

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF RUN AFTER THE AIRSPEED INDICATION ROSE TO ABOUT 80 MILES PER HOUR, BUT WOULD NOT GO ANY HIGHER. HE COULD NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE, BEFORE IT WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, OVER A BERM, AND INTO A DRAINAGE RAVINE. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE RAVINE, BOTH PITOT COVERS WERE STILL IN PLACE, AROUND THE PITOT TUBES. THE RUNWAY WAS 4,553 FEET LONG, CALCULATED TAKEOFF DISTANCE WAS ABOUT 2,525 FEET, AND CALCULATED ACCELERATE-STOP DISTANCE WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,950 FEET. TIRE SKID MARKS STARTED AROUND 3,600 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, AND LED TO THE WRECKAGE. ABOUT A YEAR EARLIER, ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT RAN INTO THE SAME RAVINE, WHICH WAS LOCATED ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. (-23) DURING TAKE OFF ROLL PILOT ABORTED DUE TO AIRCRAFT NOT ACCELERATING. AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT END OF RUNWAY INTO A STREAM OF APPROC 3' WATER. FIRE ON BOTH ENGINES/UNDERWINGS. ALL 8 PERSONS ESCAPED. NO FATALITIES. FOUND BOTH PILOT TUBES WITH PILOT COVERS INSTALLED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.