ERA13LA297

The pilot reported that, after takeoff, as the airplane was about 100 ft mean sea level and its airspeed was about 60 to 70 knots, he attempted to retract the landing gear. The landing gear would not retract, so he recycled the gear handle, and the gear down-and-locked lights then extinguished. The airplane struggled to gain airspeed, which then decreased to about 60 knots. The airplane subsequently hit power lines and impacted terrain. The flap selector handle was found positioned to the "approach flap" position. Postaccident examination of the airplane, engine, and landing gear system did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation; the landing gear was in the in-transit position. A tailwind component of 6.8 knots existed at the time of the takeoff. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the pilot rotated too early during the takeoff with a tailwind and delayed retraction of the landing gear, all of which reduced the airplane's climb performance and led to its inability to clear the power lines beyond the end of the runway.

On June 21, 2013, about 0631 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft Bonanza G-36; N7513, sustained substantial damage after colliding with power lines and impacting terrain shortly after takeoff from Pompano Beach Airpark (PMP), Pompano Beach, Florida. The private pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that was destined for Tampa International Airport (TPA), Tampa, Florida.According to the pilot, he departed from runway 33, a 4,918-foot-long asphalt runway, and rotated the airplane between 65 and 70 knots utilizing zero degrees of flaps. After selecting the gear handle to the "UP" position, he reported that the "green lights" did not extinguish after about 3 seconds. The pilot recycled the gear handle to the "DOWN" position and then back to the "UP" position. The pilot further reported that the green lights then extinguished, but the airplane was struggling to gain airspeed. The pilot added that the airplane could not accelerate past 60 knots and felt like the airplane was lacking power. The pilot also stated that he crashed about 300 feet "behind" the end of the runway. In a personal interview with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors, the pilot stated that after takeoff he was about "60 to 65 knots" and 100 feet mean sea level when he selected the gear handle to the "UP" position, the first time after takeoff. Initial examination of the airplane revealed that the crash site was located about 2,460 feet beyond the departure end of runway 33, perpendicular to a residential alley way. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, both wings, and empennage. The pilot, age 75, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane, issued on February 18, 2010. A third-class medical certificate was issued on October 4, 2012, with the limitations of "must wear corrective lenses" and "not valid for any class after." FAA records indicate that the pilot reported 7,370 total flight hours. The six-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number, E-3996, was manufactured in April of 2013. It was powered by a Continental IO-550B 300-horsepower engine, and was equipped with a three-blade Hartzell propeller. The airplane had not received an annual inspection, nor was it due for inspection since manufacture. The hour-meter was observed at the accident site to be 62.2 hours of total operating time. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the propeller spinner was unremarkable and that the propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange. The engine was unremarkable. Throttle, propeller and mixture control linkage continuity were confirmed from the throttle quadrant to the engine by manual movement of the controls. The fuel strainer fuelscreen was removed and was found clean and free of any particles. The engine was removed from the airframe and sent to the manufacturer. The engine was examined with NTSB oversight, placed on a test stand, and run through a series of high and low power settings. There were no mechanical anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. A detailed report of the examination and test run are contained in the public docket. Control continuity from the flight controls to all surfaces was verified by tracing the respective cables and manipulating the flight controls. Several separations of the flight control cables were noted and were consistent with separation from salvage operations. The fuel selector valve was found selected to the left main fuel tank and was in the detent for that position. No restrictions or obstructions were noted in the fuel lines. The auxiliary fuel boost pump switch was in the "OFF" position. The flap selector handle in the cockpit was found selected to the approach flap position. A review of the Beechcraft Pilot Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Flight Manual (POH/AFM) for the Model G36 states that the flaps "Approach" (12 degrees extended) stall speed of the airplane is 65 knots. The flaps "Approach" rotation speed in the performance section of the POH is listed at 67 knots. The POH states that the initial climb speed with the flaps "Approach" is 75 knots. The full flap stall speed for the airplane is 61 knots. The landing gear selector handle was in the UP position. The landing gear actuator and main landing gear were found in an in-transit position. The main landing gear and landing gear actuator were found near the extended position, but were not fully extended. The landing gear actuator was cycled by hand, utilizing the emergency extension handle. The landing gear motor wires were removed from the relay and the motor was electrically operated, utilizing the airplane battery power via an electrical jumper cable. The motor operated full travel in the up and down direction when power was applied. The PMP 0653 recorded weather included wind from 140 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point 24 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.06 inches of mercury. A review of the Beechcraft G-36 POH wind component chart was referenced, and utilizing runway 33 at PMP at the reported takeoff time yielded a tailwind component of 6.8 knots.