- Date
- July 22, 1987, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Gordonsville, VA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9764JCessna 421
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11329
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 plt began taking off from a downward sloping, 2300 ft rwy in light winds. The rprtd temp was 92 deg; the density alt was about 2500 ft. the plt rprtd the acft accelerated normally to V1 speed; however, it hit the tops of trees about 350 to 500 ft beyond the rwy, then struck the ground after traveling about another 1000 ft. performance charts showed the acft would have needed a takeoff distance of 2200 ft to clear a 50 ft obstacle in calm wind. The plt rprtd the wind was from 010 deg at 3 to 5 KTS. A witness rprtd a 3 to 5 kt tailwind. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was fnd.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9764J
- Reported as
- Cessna 421
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421-0028
- Airframe hours
- 1,975
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-D, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald A. Henke
- Registered owner
- D & F Investments
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 24, 1987
- Departed
- GVE
- Destination
- Charlottesville, VA
- Airport
- GVE · Gordonsville Muni, runway 4, 2,300 × 40 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,723 total · 201 in this make and model · 1,578 as pilot in command · 116 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg