GAA17CA500

NTSB accident investigation · Beech C23 · Rexburg, ID · August 21, 2017

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
August 21, 2017, 14:50 local (20:50 UTC)
Place
Rexburg, ID
Injuries
2 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Takeoff
Aircraft
N6576RBeech C23
Defining event
Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report April 23, 2018
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20170821015849A
Case key
95860

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 delayed decision to land the airplane with insufficient runway remaining after realizing the airplane wasn't climbing.

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.

Aircraft capability: landing distanceAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceededBeech C23: 3 casesAll aircraft: 68 casesProbable cause
Object/animal/substance: fence/fence postEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcomeBeech C23: 4 casesAll aircraft: 313 cases

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

According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, about 2,100 ft down the 4,210-ft-long runway, the airplane had accelerated to 65 knots. The airplane remained in ground effect for about 1,000 more feet but would not climb. The pilot feared the airplane would collide with obstacles beyond the end of the runway, and he aborted the takeoff. During landing, the airplane bounced, and when it descended back to the runway, the pilot immediately applied the brakes. The airplane exited the left side of the runway before reaching the runway threshold. The airplane continued about 120 ft and then collided with a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower left fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 8 knots, and the temperature was 73°F. The field elevation was 4,862 ft, and the density altitude was 6,682 ft. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, under the reported weather conditions, the minimum ground roll was about 2,249 ft, and the minimum distance to clear a 50-ft obstacle was about 3,701 ft. Further, the normal distance to land would have been about 901 ft. According to FAA-H-8083-25A, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 10 (Aircraft Performance) pg.16: The most critical conditions of landing performance are combinations of high gross weight, high density altitude, and unfavorable wind. These conditions produce the greatest required landing distances and critical levels of energy dissipation required of the brakes. In all cases, it is necessary to make an accurate prediction of minimum landing distance to compare with the available runway. A polished, professional landing procedure is necessary because the landing phase of flight accounts for more pilot-caused aircraft accidents than any other single phase of flight.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll on runway 17, about 2,100ft down the 4,210 ft runway, the airplane had accelerated to 65kts. The airplane remained in ground effect for about 1,000 additional feet but would not climb. The pilot feared the airplane would collide with obstacles beyond the end of the runway, and he aborted the takeoff. During landing, the airplane bounced and when it descended back to the runway, the pilot immediately applied the brakes. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, before the runway threshold. The airplane continued about 120ft and then collided with a chain link fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower left fuselage. The pilot reported that the departure weight of the airplane was 2,395.5lbs. According to the manufacturer, the maximum takeoff weight for the airplane was 2,450lbs. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 8kts and the temperature was 73°F. The field elevation was 4,862ft and the density altitude was 6,682ft. According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook (POH), under the reported weather conditions, the minimum ground roll was about 2,249ft, and the minimum distance to clear a 50ft obstacle was about 3,701ft. Further, the normal distance to land would have been about 901ft. According to FAA-H-8083-25A, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 10 (Aircraft Performance) pg.16: The most critical conditions of landing performance are combinations of high gross weight, high density altitude, and unfavorable wind. These conditions produce the greatest required landing distances and critical levels of energy dissipation required of the brakes. In all cases, it is necessary to make an accurate prediction of minimum landing distance to compare with the available runway. A polished, professional landing procedure is necessary because the landing phase of flight accounts for more pilot-caused aircraft accidents than any other single phase of flight. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N6576R
Reported as
Beech C23 (NO SERIES)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
M-1594
Built
1974
Airframe hours
2,824
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A4T, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · August 18, 2017
Departed
RXE · Rexburg, ID
Destination
U42 · Salt Lake City, UT
Airport
RXE · Rexburg-Madison County, runway 17, 4,204 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

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
24
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 13, 2017
Seat
Left
Restraint
None
Flight hours
92.3 total · 24.3 in this make and model · 43.7 as pilot in command · 18.1 in the last 90 days · 3.5 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
200° at 8 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
73 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
30.20 inHg
Observed at
KRXE

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.

Other investigations on N6576R · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.