- Date
- May 13, 2001, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Houston, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2118DBeech D35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 5, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20010513016379A
- Case key
- 52690
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 failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff roll.
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.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll, approximately 1,100 feet down the runway, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck the concrete pillar supporting the visual approach slope indicator (VASI). Subsequently, the airplane went through a ditch, crossed a taxiway, and went through another ditch on the opposite side of the taxiway before coming to rest near several above ground fuel tanks. The pilot reported to airport personnel that he had inadvertently placed his right foot on the left rudder pedal during the takeoff roll.
Factual narrative
On May 13, 2001, approximately 1400 CDT, a Beech D35, single-engine airplane, N2118D, sustained substantial damage when it collided with an object during takeoff roll from the Houston-Southwest Airport, near Houston, Texas. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Neither the private pilot nor his passenger were injuried. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
Witnesses and the airport manager reported that the airplane was taking off from runway 9. Approximately 1,100 feet down the runway, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck the concrete pillar supporting the visual approach slope indicator (VASI). Subsequently, the airplane went through a ditch, crossed a taxiway, and went through another ditch on the opposite side of the taxiway before coming to rest near several above ground fuel tanks. The pilot reported that he had inadvertently placed his right foot on the left rudder pedal during the takeoff roll.
The FAA inspector, who examined the airplane, found a 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 foot tear in the left side of the fuselage aft of the trailing edge of the left wing. Damage was also found on the ruddervator. Both propeller blades were bent aft, and the nose landing gear was collapsed.
Numerous attempts were made by the FAA inspector and the NTSB investigator-in-charge to contact the pilot. To date, the pilot has neither responded nor submitted a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2).
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2118D
- Reported as
- Beech D35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-3463
- Engine
- Continental E-185, 185 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gene W. Frohbieter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- AXH · Houston, TX
- Airport
- AXH · Houston-Southwest, runway 09, 5,003 × 100 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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 60 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.