20160311020109A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech D17S · Brighton, CO · March 11, 2016

Date: March 11, 2016 · 08:30 local
Place: Brighton, CO
Airport: Van Aire
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N9290H
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA16CA146
Reported as: Beech D17S
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,691 total433 in this make and model22 in the last 90 days

N9290HRegistered now · Beech D17SS/N 6726 · Built 1944 Airframe modelBeech D17S Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

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.

N9290H: at 0745 the PIC serviced engine oil and pulled the aircraft out of the hanger located at Van Aire Airport (CO12). The PIC preflighted the aircraft and started engine normally. The PIC ran the engine for 15 minute warm-up period. The PIC then taxied to the runway and started take-off at 0820. PIC was at full power halfway down the runway and as the aircraft rotated for takeoff the PIC glanced over to the fuel selector switch on the right hand instrument panel for verification of fuel tank selection. When the PIC looked back to see where he was on the runway the aircraft had turned 30 degrees off the runway. The right wing dropped and the aircraft lost altitude and struck the ground hard, collapsing the gear. The lower right wing sheared off and the aircraft continued off the left side of the runway 125 yards, striking a grass berm and then a chain link fence post where the aircraft came to a stop. PIC turned off master power and fuel and exited the aircraft at 0822.

As the FAA filed it

N9290H: AT 0745 THE PIC SERVICED ENGINE OIL AND PULLED THE AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE HANGER LOCATED AT VAN AIRE AIRPORT (CO12). THE PIC PREFLIGHTED THE AIRCRAFT AND STARTED ENGINE NORMALLY. THE PIC RAN THE ENGINE FOR 15 MINUTE WARM-UP PERIOD. THE PIC THEN TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY AND STARTED TAKE-OFF AT 0820. PIC WAS AT FULL POWER HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND AS THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED FOR TAKEOFF THE PIC GLANCED OVER TO THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH ON THE RIGHT HAND INSTRUMENT PANEL FOR VERIFICATION OF FUEL TANK SELECTION. WHEN THE PIC LOOKED BACK TO SEE WHERE HE WAS ON THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT HAD TURNED 30 DEGREES OFF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST ALTITUDE AND STRUCK THE GROUND HARD, COLLAPSING THE GEAR. THE LOWER RIGHT WING SHEARED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY 125 YARDS, STRIKING A GRASS BERM AND THEN A CHAIN LINK FENCE POST WHERE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. PIC TURNED OFF MASTER POWER AND FUEL AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AT 0822.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB GAA16CA146Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportBrighton, COThe pilot's failure to maintain the runway course during takeoff, resulting in the airplane drifting to the left and impacting a fence. A contributing factor to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention during the takeoff.Mar 11, 2016 · Substantial damage