- Date
- July 1, 2018, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mackinac Island, MI
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N66568Beech 58
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180701008969A
- Case key
- 97723
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 remove the pitot tube cover during the preflight inspection, which resulted in his delayed decision to reject the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane.
Findings · 7
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 of the twin-engine airplane reported that, during the takeoff roll on the 3,500-ft-long runway, the airspeed indicator did not indicate an airspeed, so he rejected the takeoff. He added that he attempted to brake, but "full braking [was] not initially possible due to lift." Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway onto a downhill grassy area and struck a fence. During postaccident examination of the airplane, the pilot found that the pitot tube cover had not been removed before the flight. According to the manufacturer, the typical takeoff roll is about 1,336 ft, and the approximate landing roll is 1,440 ft. If the pilot had rejected the takeoff sooner, he likely could have stopped the airplane on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that his preflight memory list was: fuel, oil, tires, props, and surfaces and that he will now add "chocks, cowl plugs, pitot tube covers."
Factual narrative
The pilot of the twin-engine airplane reported that during the takeoff roll on the 3,500-foot runway the airplane's airspeed indicator did not indicate an airspeed, so he rejected the takeoff. He added that, he attempted to brake, but "full braking [was] not initially possible due to lift". Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway onto a downhill grass area and struck a wood fence. During a post-accident inspection the pilot discovered that the pitot tube cover had not been removed before the flight. According to the manufacturer, the typical takeoff roll is approximately 1,336 feet and the approximate landing roll is 1,440 feet. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that his preflight memory list was: fuel, oil, tires, props, and surfaces. He will now add, "chocks, cowl plugs, pitot tube covers".
Aircraft
- Registration
- N66568
- Reported as
- Beech 58 (TC)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TK-105
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 4,401.4
- Engines
- Continental TSIO-520-WB, 325 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental TSIO-520-WB, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 26, 2018
- Departed
- MCD · Mackinac Island, MI
- Destination
- DPA · Chicago/West Chicago, IL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MCD · Mackinac Island, runway 26, 3,501 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 6, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,917 total · 2,131 in this make and model · 2,302 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- KMCD
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 10, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.