What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During takeoff on runway 5 at Winter Haven Airport, pilot lost directional control of aircraft resulting in the aircraft departing the left side of the runway. Pilot continued the takeoff roll in the grass beside the runway and upon lift-off the bottom of the aircraft struck the runway 5 PAPI light system, causing substaintial damage to the aircraft. Pilot continued takeoff, entered the traffic pattern, and returned for landing without further incident. An FAA post accident inspection revealed damage to the aircraft that seriously compromised aileron, elevator, rudder, and flap control authority. Specifically, the primary and secondary flight control cables all travel aft through the lower fuselage and then separate behind the rear cabin bulkhead up to the wings and aft to the tail. Damage to the control cable pullys and their attachment fittings where the aircraft fuselage struck the VASI projector rendered all flight controls minimally effective.
As the FAA filed it
DURING TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 5 AT WINTER HAVEN AIRPORT, PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF ROLL IN THE GRASS BESIDE THE RUNWAY AND UPON LIFT-OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY 5 PAPI LIGHT SYSTEM, CAUSING SUBSTAINTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT CONTINUED TAKEOFF, ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, AND RETURNED FOR LANDING WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.AN FAA POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT THAT SERIOUSLY COMPROMISED AILERON, ELEVATOR, RUDDER, AND FLAP CONTROL AUTHORITY. SPECIFICALLY, THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES ALL TRAVEL AFT THROUGH THE LOWER FUSELAGE AND THEN SEPARATE BEHIND THE REAR CABIN BULKHEAD UP TO THE WINGS AND AFT TO THE TAIL. DAMAGE TO THE CONTROL CABLE PULLYS AND THEIR ATTACHMENT FITTINGS WHERE THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE STRUCK THE VASI PROJECTOR RENDERED ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS MINIMALLY EFFECTIVE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N340C · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.