- Date
- April 8, 2007, 12:21 local (18:21 UTC)
- Place
- Wheatland, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3329CBeech F-35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Flight Standards Field Office
- FAA report
- 20070408004129A
- Case key
- 65568
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 inadequate soft field takeoff procedures and the low airspeed resulting in the airplane settling back to the ground.
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
According to the pilot, he attempted to depart from a dirt field, utilizing recommended soft field takeoff procedures. The airplane became airborne, the pilot gently lowered the nose to gain airspeed, and the airplane settled back to the ground, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
According to the accident report, submitted by the pilot, he was en route to Fargo, North Dakota, on April 7, when the weather began to deteriorate. The pilot elected to perform a forced landing to a field. The forced landing was uneventful. On April 8, the pilot attempted to depart from a nearby dirt field, utilizing FAA recommended soft field takeoff procedures. The airplane became airborne, the pilot gently lowered the nose to gain airspeed, and the airplane settled back to the ground. All three landing gear collapsed. The propeller was curled aft at both tips and the belly of the fuselage was crushed up and wrinkled. Both keels on each side of the nose wheel were bent and the bulkheads within the nose basket buckled. The pilot did not report any systems issues. An examination of the airplane systems revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3329C
- Reported as
- Beech F-35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D4322
- Airframe hours
- 7,500
- Engine
- Continental E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2006
- Departed
- Wheatland, WY
- Destination
- FAR · Fargo, ND
- Airport
- N/A · Farm Field, runway 090, dirt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 352 total · 73 in this make and model · 3 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 60° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.80 inHg
- Observed at
- LAR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.