DEN05LA086

NTSB accident investigation · Beech S35 · Broomfield, CO · June 7, 2005

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
June 7, 2005, 17:25 local (23:25 UTC)
Place
Broomfield, CO
Injuries
1 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N9TTBeech S35
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report October 27, 2005
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA Flight Standards District Office
FAA report
20050607014069A
Case key
61660

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 maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall, and his failure to abort the takeoff. The loss of power for undetermined reasons is a contributing 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.

Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanicalTakeoff
Reason for occurrence undeterminedFactor
Loss of control - in flightTakeoff
Aborted takeoff - not performedPilot in commandCause
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in command
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The pilot stated that he became airborne approximately midfield; however, "after rising a few feet, the acceleration seemed sluggish." He also stated that at midfield he "noticed a drop in power," but continued with the take off. The pilot stated that the airplane settled towards the runway, "accelerat[ed] and rose again." He stated that the stall warning horn sounded, and he "leveled in ground effect to accelerate." He maneuvered the airplane to avoid the runway end lights and a truck on the service road off the end of the runway. The airplane impacted the ground near the service road and nosed over causing substantial damage. An examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded the engine from producing power.

Factual narrative

On June 7, 2005, approximately 1725 mountain daylight time, a Beech S35, N9TT, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain off the departure end of runway 11L at the Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the BJC Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot had been cleared for take off on runway 11L. Several witnesses reported that during the departure roll, the airplane appeared to take off, settle back to the runway, take off again, and settle back to the runway. One witness stated that the pilot appeared to abort the takeoff.

According to the accident report submitted by the pilot, he had taxied down the runway, past the alpha 16 intersection, to avoid several hawks in the vicinity of the runway. According to the Jefferson County Airport Control Tower, the remaining runway distance at this intersection is 7,200 feet. The pilot stated that he became airborne approximately midfield; however, "after rising a few feet, the acceleration seemed sluggish." He also stated that at midfield he "noticed a drop in power," but continued with the take off. The pilot stated that the airplane settled towards the runway, "accelerat[ed] and rose again." He stated that the stall warning horn sounded, and he "leveled in ground effect to accelerate." He maneuvered the airplane to avoid the runway end lights and a truck on the service road off the end of the runway. The airplane impacted the ground near the service road and nosed over, coming to rest 1,287 feet from the departure end of the runway.

The outboard leading edge of the left wing was bent down, the nose landing gear wheel and tire assembly separated at the strut, the top portion of the fuselage was wrinkled, and the windscreen Plexiglas fragmented. The airplane was relocated to Greeley, Colorado, for further examination. On June 14, 2005, the engine was test run under the auspices of the Federal Aviation Administration. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded the engine from producing power. An examination of the remaining airplane systems revealed no anomalies.

Aircraft

Registration
N9TT
Reported as
Beech S35
Category
Airplane
Serial number
D-7800
Airframe hours
5,200
Engine
Lycoming IO-5203A, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
V-Tail Aviation LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · July 1, 2004 · 75 hours before
Departed
BJC · Broomfield, CO
Destination
BJC · Broomfield, CO
Airport
BJC · Jeffco, runway 11L, 9,000 × 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
49
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3
Last flight review
May 1, 2004
Seat
Left
Flight hours
680 total · 39 in this make and model · 505 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
20° at 8 knots
Visibility
40 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
12,000 ft broken
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 46 °F
Altimeter
29.70 inHg
Observed at
BJC, 1 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.