- Date
- September 6, 2004, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tullahoma, TN
- Injuries
- 11 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N432UBeech D18S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 3, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Nashville FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040906025739A
- Case key
- 60219
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Right tire burst during an attempted takeoff that resulted in loss of directional control and the on ground collision with the ground.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During takeoff roll, the airplane's right landing gear tire blew. The left wing raised up and the airplane drifted right. The pilot shut down the power. The pilot then stated that the right wheel caught the raised grass area on the edge of the runway. The airplane's tail swung to the right and the right landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on the right edge of runway 18, 100 yards from where the tire went flat. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of accident site revealed tire skid marks off to the right of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the right wing, right engine, cowling, and right wing propeller. The right landing gear assembly was torn from the airframe and the empennage was partially detached. A review of maintenance records recovered failed to disclose the history of the failed tire.
Factual narrative
On September 6, 2004 at 1500 central daylight time a Beech D18S, N432U, registered to Comanche Air Inc and operated by a private pilot, right tire blew and the airplane slid to the right side of runway 18 while on take off roll at Tullahoma Regional Airport in Tullahoma, Tennessee. The parachute jump flight operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot and 10 passengers were not injured. The flight originated from the Tullahoma Regional Airport, Tullahoma, Tennessee, on September 6, 2004 at 1500.
According to the pilot, during takeoff roll, the airplane's right landing gear tire blew out. The pilot further stated that following the tire blow-out, the left wing came up and the airplane drifted right. At this point, the pilot shut down the engine power. The pilot then stated that as the airplane continued to drift right, the right wheel caught the raised grass area on the edge of the runway. The airplane's tail swung to the right and the right landing gear collapsed. The airplane came to rest on the right edge of runway 18, 100 yards from where the tire went flat.
The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of accident site revealed tire skid marks off to the right of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed damage to the right wing, right engine, cowling, and right wing propeller. The right landing gear assembly was torn from the airframe and the empennage was partially detached. A review of maintenance records recovered failed to disclose the history of the tire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N432U
- Reported as
- Beech D18S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BA-161
- Airframe hours
- 15,904
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney PT6A, 550 horsepower, reciprocatingPratt & Whitney PT6A, 550 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- James E. Baron
- Registered owner
- Comanche Air Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 24, 2004 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- KTHA · Tullahoma, TN
- Airport
- KTHA · Tullahoma Regional Airport, runway 18, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- July 31, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 3,500 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KMQY, 35 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.
Other investigations on N432U · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.