# Accident 20010513016379A: Beech D35, Houston, TX, May 13, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 13, 2001, 14:00 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Airport: Houston-Southwest Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 29.5061° N, 95.4769° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5061&lon=-95.4769&mi=10 - Aircraft: N2118D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2118D-2012-08-23) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech D35 (registry code 1151510, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d35) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH D35 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 60 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA163) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010513016379A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTING RWY 090. APPROXIMATELY 1100 FEET ON TAKE-OFF AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND DEPARTED RUNWAY TO THE LEFT (NORTH) COMING IN CONTACT WITH VASI. VASI WAS SHEERED FROM CEMENT POST ON WHICH IT WAS MOUNTED. AIRCRAFT PITCHED OVER, NOSE GEAR AND PROPELLER CONTACTED THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT CONTINUED UP AND OVER THE TAXI WAY, THROUGH THE ADJOINING DITCH AND CAME TO REST ADJACENT TO THE FUEL FARM. AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE: NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, BOTH PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT BACK, A HOLE APPROXIMATELY 2 1/2' BY 3 1/2' WAS TORN IN THE FUSELAGE ON THE LEFT SIDE AFT OF THE WING. NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE FORE AND AFT BULKHEADS. IT APPEARS THE LEFT RUDDERVATOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE VASI. A REGISTERED LETTER WAS MAILED TO MR. FROHBIETER REQUESTING HE CONTACT ME SO REQUIRED DATA FOR COMPLETION OF PACKAGE COULD BE OBTAINED. LETTER WAS DELIVERED ON JUNE 19, 2001. IN THE LETTER, I REQUESTED HE CONTACT ME WITHIN 10 DAYS AFTER RECIEPT, AS OF TODAY, JULY 17, 2001, HE HAS NOT RESPONDED. (.4) ON MAY 13, 2001, APPROXIMATELY 1400 CDT, A BEECH D35, SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N2118D, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH AN OBJEC T DURING TAKEOFF ROLL FROM THE HOUSTON-SOUTHWEST AIRPORT, NEAR HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. NEITHER THE PRIVATE PILOT NOR HIS PASSENGER WERE INJURIED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES AND THE AIRPORT MANAGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 9. APPROXIMATELY 1,100 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK THE CONCRETE PILLAR SUPPORTING THE VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR (VASI). SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE WENT THROUGH A DITCH, CROSSED A TAXIWAY, AND WENT THROUGH ANOTHER DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY BEFORE COMING TO REST NEAR SEVERAL ABOVE GROUND FUEL TANKS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY PLACED HIS RIGHT FOOT ON THE LEFT RUDDER PEDAL DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE, FOUND A 2 1/2 TO 3 1/2 FOOT TEAR IN THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE AFT OF THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING. DAMAGE WAS ALSO FOUND ON THE RUDDERVATOR. BOTH PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT AFT, AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS COLLAPSED. NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR AND THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE TO CONTACT THE PILOT. TO DATE, THE PILOT HAS NEITHER RESPONDED NOR SUBMITTED A COMPLETED PILOT/OPERATOR AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT (NTSB FORM 6120.1/2). ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW01LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA163), May 13, 2001: Beech D35 (N2118D), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.