- Date
- July 14, 1996, 12:50 local (16:50 UTC)
- Place
- Marshall, MI
- Injuries
- 11 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N9772ZBeech C-45H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 29, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960714026069A
- Case key
- 10313
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
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. The crosswind (quartering headwind) was a related factor.
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 reported that the winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots. During the takeoff roll on runway 28, at about 60 miles per hour, he 'began to bring the tail up for a wheel takeoff.... The airplane began to veer to the left.' He 'attempted to get the airplane straight with right rudder and right brake. The airplane ran off of the runway and ground looped on top of a hill.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. Examination of skid marks on the runway revealed that the right side skid mark was 'more pronounced' than the left side skid mark. No evidence of flight control or brake malfunction was discovered.
Factual narrative
On July 14, 1996, at 1250 eastern daylight time, a Beech C-45H, N9772Z, operated by Skydive Michigan, sustained substantial damage when it ground looped during the takeoff roll in Marshall, Michigan. The pilot and ten passengers reported no injury. The local, 14 CFR Part 91 parachute flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file.
The pilot reported that he checked the weather via DUATS and a personal observation. He reported that the winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots. During the takeoff roll on runway 28, at about 60 miles per hour, he "began to bring the tail up for a wheel takeoff.... The airplane began to veer to the left." He "attempted to get the airplane straight with right rudder and right brake. The airplane ran off of the runway and ground looped on top of a hill." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. He shut down the engines and "everyone" egressed the airplane uneventfully. The pilot reported no evidence of engine or propeller malfunction.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who examined the accident site and the airplane, reported that the airplane departed the left side of the runway. His examination of skid marks on the runway revealed that the right side skid mark was "more pronounced" than the left side skid mark. He reported no evidence of flight control or brake malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9772Z
- Reported as
- Beech C-45H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AF-575
- Airframe hours
- 9,295
- Engine
- P&W R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Linda M. Humphreys
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 20, 1996 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- 5D8
- Airport
- 5D8 · Brooks Field, runway 28, 3,500 × 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
- 25
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,249 total · 10 in this make and model · 1,075 as pilot in command · 92 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.