20160510007639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech B24R · Groveland, CA · May 10, 2016

Date: May 10, 2016 · 12:15 local
Place: Groveland, CA
Airport: Pine Mountain Lake
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2052L
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA105
Reported as: Beech B24R
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,050 total

N2052LRegistration cancelled Apr 11, 2017 · Beech B24RS/N MC-437 · Built 1976 Airframe modelBeech B24R Engine modelLycoming I0360 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.

Pilot and owner of N2052L of the aircraft were performing a flight test after the aircraft has been undergoing extensive maintenance after a 10 year storage. The PIC elected to takeoff on runway 9 when that runway has a slightly uphill gradient (1.8%) with a slight tail wind. Although the wind sock at the west end of the airport was limp indicating a calm wind the wind at the east end of the field definatly showed a wind favoring a runway 27 departure. Evidence of this was a flag in the backround video of the departing accident aircraft.

The aircraft lifted off the runway as evidenced by a video recording at approximately the last 600 feet of runway remaining. The runway length is about 3647 feet. Pilot reported that the engine was not putting out full power. Preliminary engine evaluation indicated that there was no fuel degradation or systemic issue with the powerplant.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT AND OWNER OF N2052L OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE PERFORMING A FLIGHT TEST AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN UNDERGOING EXTENSIVE MAINTENANCE AFTER A 10 YEAR STORAGE. THE PIC ELECTED TO TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 9 WHEN THAT RUNWAY HAS A SLIGHTLY UPHILL GRADIENT (1.8%) WITH A SLIGHT TAIL WIND. ALTHOUGH THE WIND SOCK AT THE WEST END OF THE AIRPORT WAS LIMP INDICATING A CALM WIND THE WIND AT THE EAST END OF THE FIELD DEFINATLY SHOWED A WIND FAVORING A RUNWAY 27 DEPARTURE. EVIDENCE OF THIS WAS A FLAG IN THE BACKROUND VIDEO OF THE DEPARTING ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.

THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AS EVIDENCED BY A VIDEO RECORDING AT APPROXIMATELY THE LAST 600 FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. THE RUNWAY LENGTH IS ABOUT 3647 FEET. PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PUTTING OUT FULL POWER. PRELIMINARY ENGINE EVALUATION INDICATED THAT THERE WAS NO FUEL DEGRADATION OR SYSTEMIC ISSUE WITH THE POWERPLANT.

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 WPR16LA105Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGroveland, CAThe pilot's decision to conduct an upslope, downwind takeoff combined with an improper flap setting, which resulted in the airplane's inability to clear trees beyond the runway end. The reason for the improper flap setting could not be determined.May 10, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N2052L · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19911014052799ILevel Off Touchdown · Palo Alto, CAPilot made a hard landing. Bounced. Made go around. Bounced on second try and landed safely on third attempt.Oct 14, 1991 · Minor damage