- Date
- December 3, 1998, 05:00 local (11:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ankeny, IA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7278RBeech 58
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Status
- Completed · report February 16, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981203032879A
- Case key
- 45410
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 elevator control system jammed for undetermined reasons.
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
During initial climb the airplane descended into the terrain. The pilot said that when he attempted to rotate the airplane for liftoff, there was resistance on the yoke. He continued to say that as the airplane lifted off the resistance gave way and the airplane 'popped' into the air. He said that the airplane reached an altitude of about 25 to 50 feet above ground level prior to descending into the terrain. A post accident examination of the airplane failed to reveal the nature of the resistance. Control continuity was compromised behind the instrument panel during the impact sequence.
Factual narrative
On December 3, 1998, at 0500 central standard time, a Beech 58, N7278R, sustained substantial damage on impact with the terrain, one-quarter mile south of Todd Field, near Ankeny, Iowa. The commercial rated pilot reported IMC conditions during the takeoff on runway 17. He told Federal Aviation Administration officials that the airplane lifted off near the end of the 2,300 foot runway, but was unable to maintain flight. The flight was originating at the time of the accident as a 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight with the intended destination of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
In his original face to face interview with Federal Aviation Administration inspectors the pilot did not mention control "resistance;" however, in his written statement he said that there was a "lot of resistance on the yoke as I pulled back." And went on to say that when the airplane lifted off from the runway, "All of a sudden the resistance gave way and the aircraft popped into the air." He went on to say that the airplane was unable to maintain flight, attaining an altitude of about 25 to 50 feet above ground lever prior to descending and impacting the terrain. The pilot did not report any engine malfunction at the time of the accident.
A post accident examination of the airplane and engines failed to reveal any pre-accident anomalies. An examination of the flight control system found no anomalies. Control continuity was compromised behind the instrument panel during the impact sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7278R
- Reported as
- Beech 58
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TH-582
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-C, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Todds Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Y42
- Destination
- CID · Cedar Rapids, IA
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,431 total · 133 in this make and model · 1,286 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Not reported
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 0.25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DSM, 14 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 N7278R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.