- Date
- September 3, 2001, 13:10 local (17:10 UTC)
- Place
- St. Helen, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9310SBeech C23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 1, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration- Grand Rapids FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010903024599A
- Case key
- 53470
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 attain the proper airspeed which resulted in a premature lift-off and subsequent stall/mush. A factor to the accident was the fence.
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 attempted a short and soft field takeoff on runway 18 (2,600 feet by 110 feet, dry/turf). The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll he set full engine power, held the yoke aft, and the airplane lifted off into ground effect. The pilot stated that after the liftoff the airplane settled back to the runway, and at which time he aborted the takeoff. The pilot reported that he reduced the engine power, set the mixture control to idle cutoff, and applied full brake pressure. The pilot stated that he was unable to stop prior to impacting the airport perimeter fence. The aircraft was approximately 75 pounds below the certified maximum gross weight at the time of the accident. The pilot reported no airframe or engine malfuctions or anomalies.
Factual narrative
On September 3, 2001, at 1310 eastern daylight time, a Beech C23, N9310S, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during an on-ground collision with a fence while executing an aborted takeoff on runway 18 (2,600 feet by 110 feet, dry/turf) at the St. Helen Airport, St. Helen, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 on an instrument flight plan. The pilot and his passenger reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and had the intended destination of Brighton Airport, Brighton, Michigan.
According to the pilot's written statement, he was attempting a short and soft field takeoff at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll he set full engine power, held the yoke aft, and the airplane lifted off into ground effect. The pilot stated that after the liftoff the airplane settled back to the runway, and at which time he aborted the takeoff. The pilot reported that he reduced the engine power, set the mixture control to idle cutoff, and applied full brake pressure. The pilot stated that he was unable to stop prior to impacting the airport perimeter fence. The pilot reported no airframe or engine malfunctions or anomalies.
According to an inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft was approximately 75 pounds below the certified maximum gross weight at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9310S
- Reported as
- Beech C23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1633
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard Frederick Strauss
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 1, 2001 · 44.1 hours before
- Departed
- 6Y6 · St. Helen, MI
- Destination
- 45G · Brighton, MI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 6Y6 · St. Helen Airport, runway 18, 2,600 × 110 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- March 21, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 395 total · 256 in this make and model · 257 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- HTL, 12 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.
Other investigations on N9310S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.