What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 11, 2021, approximately 1953 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N80056, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at the macon county airport (1A5), Franklin, north carolina.
The pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated under 14 CFR part 91 personal/business flight.
According to the pilot, this was a planned local flight. The pilot stated that it was a normal start, taxi, and run-up before takeoff. He initiated the takeoff roll and called out speeds in 10 knot (KTS) increments looking for a rotation speed of 100 KTS. He said the airspeed reached 90 KTS and the aircraft acceleration ?lagged? While only reaching a maximum speed of around 92 KTS.
He noticed that the runway length was decreasing and elected to abort the takeoff. He pulled both throttles to idle and initiated maximum braking. Examination of the runway, revealed tire skid marks beginning around 1,200 ft. from the runway end and continued off into the grass.
The airplane continued down a slope, and through a fence before coming to rest.
All of the occupants exited the airplane safely and a post-crash fire ensued. The airplane sustained fire and structural damage to the fuselage.
Aircraft had approximately 25 hours since last major maintenance. Due to the condition of aircraft and instruments after the post-crash fire, examination of the braking and airspeed indicating systems were inconclusive as a factor. No other actions at present.
All sas activities linked to task id # T-EA68-FY21-0901
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 11, 2021, APPROXIMATELY 1953 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 421B, N80056, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AT THE MACON COUNTY AIRPORT (1A5), FRANKLIN, NORTH CAROLINA.
THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL/BUSINESS FLIGHT.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THIS WAS A PLANNED LOCAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT IT WAS A NORMAL START, TAXI, AND RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF. HE INITIATED THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND CALLED OUT SPEEDS IN 10 KNOT (KTS) INCREMENTS LOOKING FOR A ROTATION SPEED OF 100 KTS. HE SAID THE AIRSPEED REACHED 90 KTS AND THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATION ?LAGGED? WHILE ONLY REACHING A MAXIMUM SPEED OF AROUND 92 KTS.
HE NOTICED THAT THE RUNWAY LENGTH WAS DECREASING AND ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE PULLED BOTH THROTTLES TO IDLE AND INITIATED MAXIMUM BRAKING. EXAMINATION OF THE RUNWAY, REVEALED TIRE SKID MARKS BEGINNING AROUND 1,200 FT. FROM THE RUNWAY END AND CONTINUED OFF INTO THE GRASS.
THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED DOWN A SLOPE, AND THROUGH A FENCE BEFORE COMING TO REST.
ALL OF THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE SAFELY AND A POST-CRASH FIRE ENSUED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED FIRE AND STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE.
AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 25 HOURS SINCE LAST MAJOR MAINTENANCE. DUE TO THE CONDITION OF AIRCRAFT AND INSTRUMENTS AFTER THE POST-CRASH FIRE, EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKING AND AIRSPEED INDICATING SYSTEMS WERE INCONCLUSIVE AS A FACTOR. NO OTHER ACTIONS AT PRESENT.
ALL SAS ACTIVITIES LINKED TO TASK ID # T-EA68-FY21-0901
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.