- Date
- August 6, 2005, 12:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Lumberton, NC
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N67076Beech C24R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Greensboro
- FAA report
- 20050806018289A
- Case key
- 62358
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
The pilot's improper/inadequate evaluation of the weather, which resulted into flight into a thunderstorm.
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
The flight departed Rock Hill Airport on a cross country flight to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina by way of Lumberton, North Carolina. Upon crossing Lumberton, the pilot saw thunderstorms 16 miles east and southeast of Lumberton Municipal Airport. Instead of continuing the flight to Myrtle Beach, the pilot chose to land at Lumberton, refuel the airplane, and to return to Rock Hill Airport. During the takeoff from runway 05, the pilot reported encountering a downdraft about 50 feet above the ground following liftoff. The airplane then collided with the ground in the grass right of the runway. The post accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. Emergency crews responding to the accident scene reported a strong gust of wind ranging from 30-40 miles per hour around the time of the accident with thunderstorm activity in the area.
Factual narrative
The flight departed Rock Hill Airport on a cross country flight to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina by way of Lumberton, North Carolina. Upon crossing Lumberton, the pilot saw thunderstorms 16 miles east and southeast of Lumberton Municipal Airport. Instead of continuing the flight to Myrtle Beach, the pilot chose to land at Lumberton, refuel the airplane, and to return to Rock Hill Airport. During the takeoff from runway 05, the pilot reported encountering a downdraft about 50 feet above the ground following liftoff. The airplane then collided with the ground in the grass right of the runway. The post accident examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. Emergency crews responding to the accident scene reported a strong gust of wind ranging from 30-40 miles per hour around the time of the accident with thunderstorm activity in the area.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N67076
- Reported as
- Beech C24R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MC-706
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360 SER A&C, 200 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Daniel D Meader
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2005 · 29 hours before
- Departed
- KLBT
- Destination
- KUZA · Rock Hill, SC
- Airport
- KLBT · Lumberton, runway 5, 5,510 × 150 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
- 43
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 166 total · 122 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 1.75 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- KLBT
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.