20181005016709A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech E-55 · San Antonio, TX · October 5, 2018

Date: October 5, 2018 · 11:30 local
Place: San Antonio, TX
Airport: San Antonio International
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6674Y
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA19CA011
Reported as: Beech E-55
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,907 total1,322 in this make and model38 in the last 90 days

N6674YRegistration cancelled Jun 18, 2019 · Beech E-55S/N TE-1168 · Built 1979 Airframe modelBeech E-55 Engine modelContinental IO-520 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.

During the rotation sequence of the takeoff at sat the pilot lost vertical control of the aircraft due to the trim being in the full nose down position. Aggravating the situation was the fact that the pilot failed to properly secure his seatbelt and was not able to apply sufficient back pressure on the yoke to arrest the decent. The aircraft struck the runway causing the nose gear to collapse and substantial damage to the fuselage. Inspection of the aircraft revealed the elevator trim tab was in the full down position on takeoff. The pilot admitted he did not check the trim tab setting per the before takeoff checklist. The investigation also revealed the aircraft was out of annual for over three months. This report has been amended due to the extent of pilot injuries. Pilot reported he was injured more than he felt at time of crash. It was determined through medical examination pilot sustained compressed fracture of vertebrae in his spine.

As the FAA filed it

DURING THE ROTATION SEQUENCE OF THE TAKEOFF AT SAT THE PILOT LOST VERTICAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO THE TRIM BEING IN THE FULL NOSE DOWN POSITION. AGGRAVATING THE SITUATION WAS THE FACT THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY SECURE HIS SEATBELT AND WAS NOT ABLE TO APPLY SUFFICIENT BACK PRESSURE ON THE YOKE TO ARREST THE DECENT. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB WAS IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION ON TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ADMITTED HE DID NOT CHECK THE TRIM TAB SETTING PER THE BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKLIST. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF ANNUAL FOR OVER THREE MONTHS. THIS REPORT HAS BEEN AMENDED DUE TO THE EXTENT OF PILOT INJURIES. PILOT REPORTED HE WAS INJURED MORE THAN HE FELT AT TIME OF CRASH. IT WAS DETERMINED THROUGH MEDICAL EXAMINATION PILOT SUSTAINED COMPRESSED FRACTURE OF VERTEBRAE IN HIS SPINE.

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 GAA19CA011Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSan Antonio, TXThe pilot's improper takeoff trim setting and failure to properly secure his seatbelt, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the Before Takeoff checklist.Oct 5, 2018 · Substantial damage