- Date
- June 4, 2010, 15:12 local (19:12 UTC)
- Place
- Anderson, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N421KBCessna 421B
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100604034959A
- Case key
- 76226
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 establish proper rotation and liftoff speed during the takeoff roll.
Findings · 6
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he did not identify any anomalies during his before takeoff engine run-up. After the successful engine run-up, he selected 15 degrees of flaps and set the pitch trim for takeoff. After receiving a takeoff clearance he taxied the airplane onto the runway, aligning with the runway centerline with 3,300 feet of runway remaining. Before commencing the takeoff roll, he held the brakes as he increased engine power to achieve maximum takeoff power. The takeoff roll was unremarkable until reaching 90 knots, when he attempted to rotate for liftoff. According to the pilot, aft movement on the control column did not result in the airplane becoming airborne. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff when the airplane had reached 100 knots and had not become airborne after passing the halfway point on the runway. He retarded the engine throttles and applied maximum braking, but the airplane was unable to stop before the end of the runway. The main landing gear collapsed during the overrun, damaging the left wing and fuselage primary structure. A postaccident inspection of the runway revealed heavy tire skid markings, consistent with heavy braking, which began 900 feet from the departure threshold. These heavy tire skid markings continued until the airplane exited the runway surface. The airplane came to rest on its lower fuselage structure, approximately 100 feet west of the extended centerline and about 250 feet from the departure threshold. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Additionally, postaccident inspection did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane or its engines. Based on available airport and weather information, the airplane’s pilot operating handbook (POH) indicated that the normal takeoff ground roll at a takeoff weight of 6,400 pounds, without flaps and without a headwind, was about 2,160 feet. The accelerate-stop distance under the same conditions was about 3,600 feet. The POH listed the rotation speed as 115 mph (100 knots) and that normal liftoff was achieved at 120 mph (104 knots). The handbook did not provide performance data for a 15-degree flap takeoff.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he did not identify any anomalies during his before takeoff engine run-up. After the successful engine run-up, he selected 15-degrees of flaps and set the pitch trim for takeoff. After receiving a takeoff clearance he taxied the airplane onto the runway, aligning with the runway centerline with 3,300 feet of runway remaining. Before commencing the takeoff roll, he held the brakes as he increased engine power to achieve maximum takeoff power. The takeoff roll was unremarkable until reaching 90 knots when he attempted to rotate for liftoff. According to the pilot, aft movement on the control column did not result in the airplane becoming airborne. The pilot decided to abort the takeoff when the airplane had reached 100 knots and had not become airborne after passing halfway point on the runway. He retarded the engine throttles and applied maximum braking, but the airplane was unable to stop before the end of the runway. The main landing gear collapsed during the overrun, damaging the left wing and fuselage primary structure. A postaccident inspection of the runway revealed heavy tire skid markings, consistent with heavy braking, which began 900 feet from the departure threshold. These heavy tire skid markings continued until the airplane exited the runway surface. The airplane came to rest on its lower fuselage structure, approximately 100 feet west of the extended centerline and about 250 feet from the departure threshold. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Additionally, a postaccident inspection did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane or its engines. Based on available airport and weather information, the airplane’s pilot operating handbook (POH) indicated that the normal takeoff ground roll at a takeoff weight of 6,400 pounds, without flaps and without a headwind, was about 2,160 feet. The accelerate-stop distance under the same conditions was about 3,600 feet. The POH listed the rotation speed as 115 mph (100 knots) and that normal liftoff was achieved at 120 mph (104 knots). The handbook did not provide performance data for a 15-degree flap takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N421KB
- Reported as
- Cessna 421B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421B0432
- Airframe hours
- 5,172
- Engines
- Teledyne Continental Motors GTSIO-520-H, 375 horsepower, reciprocatingTeledyne Continental Motors GTSIO-520-H, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Great Lakes Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Great Lakes Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 8, 2009
- Departed
- KAID · Anderson, IN
- Destination
- KVPZ · Valparaiso, IN
- Airport
- KAID · Anderson Municipal Airport, runway 18, 3,400 × 75 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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 11, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,679 total · 27 in this make and model · 3,453 as pilot in command · 34 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 7 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.78 inHg
- Observed at
- KAID
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.