FTW00LA075

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 414 · Oklahoma City, OK · January 26, 2000

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
January 26, 2000, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
Place
Oklahoma City, OK
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N7VSCessna 414
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 6, 2001
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
20000126000279A
Case key
48531

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The failure of the pilot to deice the airplane prior to departure.

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.

In flight collision with terrain/waterTakeoff
Ice/frost removal from aircraft - not performedPilot in commandCause
Wing - contamination
Aircraft performance,climb capability - deteriorated
Terrain condition - berm
Object - fence

Analysis

The pilot reported that light snow was falling, with approximately 2 inches already on the ground, and the runway had been plowed approximately one hour prior to his departure. About 20 minutes had elapsed since the airplane had been towed from the '68 degree F' hangar. During the takeoff, the airplane accelerated 'normally' and became airborne after traveling about 2,160 feet down the 3,240-foot runway. After liftoff, the airplane did not climb above 25 or 30 feet agl. The airplane impacted an embankment at the end of the runway, continued across railroad tracks, and through a fence coming to rest in a brick storage yard about 800-1,000 feet from the departure end of the runway. The pilot stated that someone told him that the airport did not have any deicing equipment, therefore, he did not deice the airplane. The weather facility, located 5 miles from the accident site, reported the wind from 100 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 1/2 mile with snow and freezing fog, temperature 27 degrees F.

Factual narrative

On January 26, 2000, at 1100 central standard time, a Cessna 414 twin-engine airplane, N7VS, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff at the Downtown Airpark Airport near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The aircraft was registered to Malibu Boats West, Inc., of Merced, California, and operated by a private individual. The commercial pilot and pilot rated passenger sustained minor injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The cross-country flight to El Paso, Texas, was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot reported that light snow was falling, with approximately 2 inches on the ground, and the runway had been plowed at 1000, for another aircraft departure. About 1015, the pilot filed a flight plan and received a weather briefing. After completing a preflight of the airplane in the hangar, he had the airplane towed to the midfield taxiway. At 1045, the aircraft's engines were started. The pilot was unable to contact approach control and clearance delivery to obtain an IFR clearance, and after about 5-6 minutes, he sent his passenger to the FBO to get the telephone number for clearance delivery. The passenger returned to the aircraft with the telephone number, and the pilot called clearance delivery on his cellular phone. After obtaining an IFR clearance and release time, the pilot completed run-up and preflight checks. The pilot back taxied the airplane to the departure end of runway 16 for takeoff.

About 20 minutes had elapsed since the airplane had been towed from the "68 degree F" hangar. During the takeoff, the airplane accelerated "normally" and became airborne after traveling about 2,160 feet down the 3,240-foot runway. After liftoff, the airplane did not climb above 25 or 30 feet agl. Airspeed began to deteriorate and the landing gear and flaps were raised; however, "airspeed continued to degrade to just above stall speed." The airplane impacted an embankment at the end of the runway, continued across railroad tracks, through a fence, and came to a stop in a brick storage yard about 800-1,000 feet from the departure end of the runway.

The pilot stated that someone told him that the airport did not have any deicing equipment, therefore, he did not deice the airplane.

Examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors revealed that the left wing was separated from the fuselage, and the fuselage and right wing were bent.

At 1053, the weather observation facility at the Will Rogers World Airport, located 5 miles southwest of the accident site, reported in part, wind 100 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 1/2 mile with snow and freezing fog, temperature 27 degrees F, dew point 25 degrees F, and altimeter 30.07 inches of mercury.

Aircraft

Registration
N7VS
Reported as
Cessna 414
Category
Airplane
Serial number
414-0276
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-J, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Positioning · Part 91
Operator
Robert R. Alkema
Registered owner
Malibu Boats West, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
2DT
Destination
ELP · El Paso, TX
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
2DT · Downtown Airpark, runway 16, 3,240 × 85 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
66
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Right
Flight hours
14,432 total · 1,350 in this make and model · 14,276 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
100° at 7 knots
Visibility
0.5 statute miles
Temperature
27 °F, dew point 25 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
OKC, 5 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.