What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 26, 2021, at 1009 local time, a Beech C-23, N3342L, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident in Lansing, west Virginia. One private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a title 14 code of federal regulations part 91.
On September 26, approximately 1000 local time the aircraft departed New River Gorge airfield (WV32). Dimensions ? 2950 x 24 feet, asphalt in fair condition. Treed terrain approximately 300 feet from runway.
Departure was witnessed by the airfield owner, his brother and another individual who was at the airfield hangar across from transient parking, where accident aircraft had been parked. Individual statements were consistent with events leading up to the accident.
Per witness statements the pilot appeared to be taking off via runway 22 and one witness noted varying power settings. This takeoff attempt was aborted. The pilot then taxied back to the end of runway 22 and started his takeoff roll from 22. The airfield owner stated he did not see lift off but saw the aircraft climb out, shortly after, the aircraft started a left hand turn of an estimated 45 degree bank and went behind the tree line out of sight. The engine was heard until the sound of impact.
The aircraft struck treed terrain on it?s decent on the opposite side of mill creek prior to ground impact. Wreckage path displayed angular tree cuts. The aircraft came to rest upright with a portion of the right hand wing leading edge skin approximately 60 feet, up hill below tree impact area. The engine was separated from mounts and propellers had leading edge gouges and spanwise deflection.
Investigation revealed the pilot held a private pilot certificate with single engine land and instrument ratings.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2021, AT 1009 LOCAL TIME, A BEECH C-23, N3342L, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN LANSING, WEST VIRGINIA. ONE PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.
ON SEPTEMBER 26, APPROXIMATELY 1000 LOCAL TIME THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NEW RIVER GORGE AIRFIELD (WV32). DIMENSIONS ? 2950 X 24 FEET, ASPHALT IN FAIR CONDITION. TREED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET FROM RUNWAY.
DEPARTURE WAS WITNESSED BY THE AIRFIELD OWNER, HIS BROTHER AND ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS AT THE AIRFIELD HANGAR ACROSS FROM TRANSIENT PARKING, WHERE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN PARKED. INDIVIDUAL STATEMENTS WERE CONSISTENT WITH EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE ACCIDENT.
PER WITNESS STATEMENTS THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE TAKING OFF VIA RUNWAY 22 AND ONE WITNESS NOTED VARYING POWER SETTINGS. THIS TAKEOFF ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED. THE PILOT THEN TAXIED BACK TO THE END OF RUNWAY 22 AND STARTED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL FROM 22. THE AIRFIELD OWNER STATED HE DID NOT SEE LIFT OFF BUT SAW THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB OUT, SHORTLY AFTER, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED A LEFT HAND TURN OF AN ESTIMATED 45 DEGREE BANK AND WENT BEHIND THE TREE LINE OUT OF SIGHT. THE ENGINE WAS HEARD UNTIL THE SOUND OF IMPACT.
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREED TERRAIN ON IT?S DECENT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF MILL CREEK PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. WRECKAGE PATH DISPLAYED ANGULAR TREE CUTS. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH A PORTION OF THE RIGHT HAND WING LEADING EDGE SKIN APPROXIMATELY 60 FEET, UP HILL BELOW TREE IMPACT AREA. THE ENGINE WAS SEPARATED FROM MOUNTS AND PROPELLERS HAD LEADING EDGE GOUGES AND SPANWISE DEFLECTION.
INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH SINGLE ENGINE LAND AND INSTRUMENT RATINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.