- Date
- August 12, 1995, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mckenzie, TN
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N26774Beech A36
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950812023369A
- Case key
- 3614
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 failure to comply with the performance data for the aircraft in his attempt to takeoff, downwind, from the short sod runway, with high density altitude, and with the aircraft weight in excess of the maximum gross weight allowed.
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 pilot was attempting a takeoff to the north on the 2,200 foot sod airstrip. The wind was reported to be from 150 degrees at 5 knots, and the temperature was 33 degrees celsius. The density altitude at the time of the accident was 2,822 feet. The aircraft weight was estimated to be 122 pounds over the maximum gross takeoff weight for the aircraft. The aircraft pilot's operating handbook showed the minimum distance required to clear a 50 foot obstacle for these conditions to be in excess of 3,000 feet. Witnesses stated that the aircraft never climbed over 12 feet above the ground after liftoff. The aircraft impacted the trees at the departure end of the runway.
Factual narrative
On August 12, 1995, at 1430 central daylight time, a Beech 36-A36, N26774, was substantially damaged following a collision with trees during an attempted takeoff from a private sod airstrip near McKenzie, Tennessee. The personal flight was being operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and the other three passengers were not injured.
Witnesses reported that the airplane attempted to depart the 2,200 foot long sod runway to the north. They said that the aircraft only climbed to about 12 feet above the ground during the attempted departure. The aircraft collided with trees on the departure end of the runway.
The nearest weather reporting facility recorded an ambient temperature of 94 degrees, and the wind out of 150 degrees at 5 knots, at the time of the accident. The density altitude at the time of the accident was 2,822 feet.
The aircraft weight at the time of the accident is estimated to be approximately 3,772 pounds.(See Federal Aviation Inspector's Statement Attached to this Report.) The maximum gross weight for takeoff for the Beech BE-36-A36 is listed as 3,650 pounds.
With the density altitude, downwind takeoff condition, and aircraft weight of the flight, the aircraft Pilot's Operating Handbook shows the required takeoff distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle to be in excess of 3,000 feet.
The pilot failed to complete a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, when requested to do so.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26774
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E2316
- Engine
- Continental IO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ralph D. Golden
- Registered owner
- John Bell Aircraft Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE · Private, runway 36, 2,200 × 75 ft, grass/turf
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,775 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 93 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MKL, 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.