- 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.
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.