ERA24LA344

NTSB accident investigation · Beech A36 · Cullman, AL · August 2, 2024

Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal report
Date
August 2, 2024, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC)
Place
Cullman, AL · Grassy area adjacent to runway 20
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N718FGBeech A36
Defining event
Initial climb: Windshear or thunderstorm
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Investigation class
Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
NTSB office
Eastern Region Aviation
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20240802020429A
Case key
194893

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 decision to depart in an area of developing convective weather, which resulted in an unanticipated wind shift during the initial climb after takeoff, a loss of climb performance, and the subsequent forced landing.

Findings · 3

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.

Wind: sudden wind shiftEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operationBeech A36: 1 caseAll aircraft: 114 casesProbable cause
Convective weather: thunderstormEnvironmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Decision related to conditionBeech A36: 2 casesAll aircraft: 100 casesProbable cause

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

The pilot reported that, during the initial climb following a takeoff from runway 20, the airplane encountered an abrupt, unanticipated wind shift. The airplane was unable to gain altitude during the initial climb and the pilot elected to land the airplane on the remaining runway. During the landing, the airplane touched down with its landing gear retracted, overran the departure end of the runway, and came to rest in a grassy area. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage during the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The surface weather observation reported at the airport about 5 minutes before the accident included wind from 200° at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots, with thunderstorms noted in the vicinity and a remark of distant lightning from the west to northeast quadrants. The pilot stated that he was aware of the wind conditions and that during taxi he noted that the windsock validated the direction/speed. He also reported that it started to rain as he lined up on the runway for the takeoff. The weather conditions reported about 15 minutes after the accident included variable wind direction at a velocity of 5 knots with gusts to 28 knots, a visibility of ½ statute mile in heavy rain and thunderstorms, with lighting present in all quadrants. These weather observations surrounding the accident time were indicative of changing weather conditions associated with convective weather activity, which could include sudden wind shifts.

Aircraft

Registration
N718FG
Reported as
Beech A36
Category
Airplane
Serial number
E858
Built
1976
Airframe hours
3,834
Engine
Continental IO-520 SER, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Northwest Iowa Aviators LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · June 1, 2024
Destination
IKV · Ankeny, IA
Airport
CMD · Cullman Regional Airport/Folsom Field, runway 20, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Stall warning system, ADS-B

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
66
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 17, 2023
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
1,444 total · 264 in this make and model · 1,327 as pilot in command · 109 in the last 90 days · 36 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
12 knots, gusting 18
Visibility
9 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
5,500 ft broken
Temperature
88 °F, dew point 77 °F
Altimeter
30.01 inHg
Observed at
KCMD, 1 nm away
METAR
KCMD 021635Z AUTO 20012G18KT 9SM VCTS BKN055 31/25 A3001 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT W-NE

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.6 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.