BFO92FA025

NTSB accident investigation · Beech V35B · Manassas, VA · January 26, 1992

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
January 26, 1992, 18:39 local (23:39 UTC)
Place
Manassas, VA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N3738ABeech V35B
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Status
Completed · report August 13, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920126000999A
Case key
11716

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to remove ice from the wings during the preflight inspection which resulted in a stall during takeoff due to ice on the wings.

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.

Loss of control - in flightTakeoff - initial climb
Wing - iceCause
Ice/frost removal from aircraft - not performedPilot in commandCause
Aircraft preflight - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ditchFactor

Analysis

The aircraft was parked at the arpt 4 days prior to the flight. Acft parked nearby were snow covered. Although the preflight of the acft or takeoff was not witnessed, airport personnel said the pilot borrowed a broom to use for about 10 minutes. 15 minutes later the acft crashed. The acft struck the ground east of rwy 16R in a left bank attitude, about halfway down the rwy, where it touched down in snow covered grass. The acft travelled 298 feet across the ground before it struck a six-foot deep drainage ditch, located parallel and 227 feet from the rwy, and erupted on fire. The examination of the acft did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. Shortly after the accident, as part of the investigation, snow was removed from another aircraft parked near the accident acft. Ice was underneath the snow and could not be removed. The ramp area where the accident acft was parked was checked and airfoil shaped ice was found on the ground where the tail was positioned, but none where the wing was positioned.

Aircraft

Registration
N3738A
Reported as
Beech V35B
Category
Airplane
Serial number
D-10355
Engine
Continental IO-520-BB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Rose, Selwyn
Registered owner
Rose, Selwyn
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · July 9, 1991
Airport
HEF · Manassas Municipal, runway 16, 3,703 × 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
56
Certificates
Flight instructor, Airline transport
Airplane ratings
Single-engine sea
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
2,500 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
Wind
120° at 6 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
27 °F, dew point 19 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
IAD, 13 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.