- Date
- August 19, 2012, 13:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- West Liberty, KY
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4746JBeech A23-19
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 11, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120819019489A
- Case key
- 84735
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 delayed decision to abort a takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll and initial climb, he thought he did not have enough airspeed to climb over a hill that was in the distance. He aborted the takeoff, landed the airplane, and attempted to stop the airplane before the end of the 2,400 foot-long runway. The airplane continued off of the departure end of the runway and collided with a ditch. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that it sustained substantial damage to both wings and the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, during the take-off roll and initial climb, he felt he did not have enough airspeed to climbout and make it over a hill that was in the distance. He aborted the takeoff, landed the airplane, and attempted to stop the airplane before the end of the 2,400 foot runway. The airplane continued off of the departure end of the runway and collided with a ditch. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that it sustained substantial damage to both wings and the firewall. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4746J
- Reported as
- Beech A23-19
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MB-182
- Airframe hours
- 683
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Quirk James M
- Registered owner
- Quirk James M
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 12, 2012
- Departed
- 9I3 · West Liberty, KY
- Destination
- 9I3 · West Liberty, KY
- Airport
- 9I3 · West Liberty Airport, runway 25, 2,400 × 60 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
- 63
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 15, 2012
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 335 total · 25 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- 9I3
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 10.3 MB in all.
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 N4746J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.