GAA19CA465

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 36 · Richmond, VA · July 28, 2019

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 28, 2019, 13:10 local (17:10 UTC)
Place
Richmond, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N343ABBeech 36
Defining event
Landing-aborted after touchdown: Collision during takeoff/land
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 21, 2020
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20190728016039A
Case key
99962

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 pilot's failure to maintain lateral control and attain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain during an attempted go-around.

Findings · 4

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotRaytheon A36: 8 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedRaytheon A36: 1 caseAll aircraft: 390 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: altitudeAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedRaytheon A36: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,310 casesProbable cause
Terrain: sloped/uneven terrainEnvironmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on operationRaytheon A36: 1 caseAll aircraft: 270 casesProbable cause

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 landing and just before touchdown, the stall warning horn sounded but that he briefly thought it was the "gear warning annunciator." Thinking he had not lowered the landing gear, he rapidly increased the throttle to produce full engine power in an attempt to go-around. However, he did not apply sufficient right rudder inputs, and the airplane deviated to the left and drifted over grass past the edge of the asphalt runway. Further, the airplane had not attained sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain, and the propeller tips hit the terrain, the engines stopped, and the airplane slid on the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Additionally, the pilot reported that he should have relied on the "three in the green" before attempting a go-around. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot in the retractable landing gear-equipped airplane reported that during landing and just before touchdown, the stall warning horn sounded. He heard a "scraping-sounding," and, "I thought the stall horn was the gear warning annunciator." The pilot aborted the landing and rapidly increased the throttle to produce full engine power. He recalled that, "I did not put in enough right rudder," to counter the torque and p-factor. The airplane drifted over the left edge of the asphalt runway and began to climb. However, the airplane impacted the rising terrain and skidded to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Additionally, the pilot reported that he should have relied upon the "three in the green" before aborting the landing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N343AB
Reported as
Beech 36 (A36)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
E-3343
Built
2000
Airframe hours
545.2
Engine
Continental IO-550-B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Ponderosa 343 Llc
Registered owner
Ponderosa 343 Llc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 15, 2019
Departed
JZI · Charleston, SC
Destination
FCI · Richmond, VA
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
FCI · Richmond Executive-Chesterfiel, runway 33, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather

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
56
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
May 17, 2018
Seat
Left
Restraint
3-point
Flight hours
273.1 total · 57 in this make and model · 14.3 in the last 90 days · 9.6 in the last 30 days · 6.4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
90 °F, dew point 66 °F
Altimeter
30.17 inHg
Observed at
KFCI, 1 nm away

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 10, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 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.