# NTSB ATL02LA114: Beech 23, N1980L, Greensboro, NC, May 27, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 27, 2002, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Greensboro, NC - Coordinates: 36.178333, -79.805 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1783&lon=-79.8050&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Greensboro FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 54873 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02LA114 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54873/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54873 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02LA114 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, A factor was the pilot's intentional ground loop during a forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, takeoff - aborted - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency landing - ground loop/swerve - intentional, pilot in command (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot elected to abort a takeoff after liftoff from runway 27at Air Harbor Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. Shortly after liftoff, the engine loss power, and the pilot attempted an emergency landing in an adjacent field. After touchdown in the field, the pilot ground looped the airplane to avoid an approaching truck. The subsequent examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem. ## Factual narrative On May 27, 2002, at 1330 eastern daylight time, a Beech 23, N1980L, registered to a private owner and operated by the pilot, collided with the ground and collapsed the landing gear after the pilot elected to abort a takeoff after liftoff from runway 27at Air Harbor Airport in Greensboro, North Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed Greensboro, North Carolina, at 1329. According to the pilot, shortly after liftoff, he felt an apparent loss of engine power and elected to abort the takeoff, and attempted an emergency landing in an adjacent field. After touchdown in the field, the pilot elected to ground loop the airplane when he realized the airplane was on collision course with an approaching truck. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main gear had snapped off and the nose wheel had collapsed. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the engine failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. Several gallons of aviation fuel were noted in the fuel system. ## Aircraft - Registration: N1980L (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Beech 23 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: M-1257 - Airframe hours: 2400 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David L. Leander - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 17, 2002, 20 hours before - Departed: W88, Greensboro, NC - Airport: KW88, Air Harbour, runway 27, 2,460 × 65 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 16, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 250 total, 100 in this make and model, 200 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: GSO, 8 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20020527014159A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020527014159A), May 27, 2002: Beech C23, Greensboro, NC, Substantial damage. (-23) During take off after becoming airborne, pilot elected to abort t.o. , drifted right of center line, landed in field next to runway. Aircraft rolled… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54873. 270 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 270 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40439382&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.