What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 21, 2011 at approximately 09:22 am PST, N62792 experienced an impact with terrain after takeoff from runway 28, Truckee-Tahoe Airport, Truckee, California. Examination of the accident scene revealed the aircraft impacted the ground at approximately 3500' from the approach end of rwy 28, left wing, nose low. The initial contact point was in the dirt area between the taxiway and the aircraft parking area. After contact with the ground the aircraft cart wheeled, breaking the left wing off and coming to rest upright approximately 250' from the initial point of contact. During the accident sequence the aircraft caught fire and the aircraft was consumed by the post accident fire. The pilot was able to extricate himself from the wreckage but suffered severe injuries. The pilot was transported by medical helicopter to a local hospital. Further examination of the aircraft revealed the right engine propeller appeared to be in the feathered position with little rotational damage. The left engine propeller showed little rotational damage with the blades being bent straight backwards. No curling of any of the blades was noted. The fire consumed the cock pit area and many components collapsed on top of each other. Interviews with witnesses all indicate the aircraft engine did not sound normal. A certificated mechanic stated the left engine was running rough prior to the aircraft departing. An interview was conducted with the pilot on September 22, 2011 who stated the runup was normal but on take off, approximately 50'AGL the pilot thinks the left propeller went into feather. He further stated he thought he then retarded both engine throttles at that time and the aircraft continued to turn left. The 64 year old pilot additionally stated he thought his medical certificate was not due for renewal until June of next year (2012). The pilots current third class medical date is June 29, 2009
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 09:22 AM PST, N62792 EXPERIENCED AN IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 28, TRUCKEE-TAHOE AIRPORT, TRUCKEE, CALIFORNIA. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 3500' FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 28, LEFT WING, NOSE LOW. THE INITIAL CONTACT POINT WAS IN THE DIRT AREA BETWEEN THE TAXIWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT PARKING AREA. AFTER CONTACT WITH THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT CART WHEELED, BREAKING THE LEFT WING OFF AND COMING TO REST UPRIGHT APPROXIMATELY 250' FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF CONTACT. DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE THE AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSUMED BY THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXTRICATE HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE BUT SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES. THE PILOT WAS TRANSPORTED BY MEDICAL HELICOPTER TO A LOCAL HOSPITAL.FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER APPEARED TO BE IN THE FEATHERED POSITION WITH LITTLE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE. THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER SHOWED LITTLE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE WITH THE BLADES BEING BENT STRAIGHT BACKWARDS. NO CURLING OF ANY OF THE BLADES WAS NOTED. THE FIRE CONSUMED THE COCK PIT AREA AND MANY COMPONENTS COLLAPSED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER. INTERVIEWS WITH WITNESSES ALL INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE DID NOT SOUND NORMAL. A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC STATED THE LEFT ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING. AN INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED WITH THE PILOT ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2011 WHO STATED THE RUNUP WAS NORMAL BUT ON TAKE OFF, APPROXIMATELY 50'AGL THE PILOT THINKS THE LEFT PROPELLER WENT INTO FEATHER. HE FURTHER STATED HE THOUGHT HE THEN RETARDED BOTH ENGINE THROTTLES AT THAT TIME AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TURN LEFT. THE 64 YEAR OLD PILOT ADDITIONALLY STATED HE THOUGHT HIS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE WAS NOT DUE FOR RENEWAL UNTIL JUNE OF NEXT YEAR (2012). THE PILOTS CURRENT THIRD CLASS MEDICAL DATE IS JUNE 29, 2009
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.