- Date
- January 21, 2002, 11:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6427NBeech B36TC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA Flt Stnds Dist Office
- FAA report
- 20020121001179A
- Case key
- 54184
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 onset of variable, gusty, crosswind conditions at the time of departure and the pilot's inadequate and improper compensation for the crosswind conditions.
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 takeoff in a quartering left crosswind, the left wingtip dropped and contacted the runway surface. The pilot reported that two other aircraft, one of similar weight and size, had departed ahead of him as he performed his run-up. The windsock indicated the wind was variable from down the runway to a 45-degree left crosswind at 15 to 20 knots. During his takeoff roll, as he rotated the airplane for liftoff, the airplane encountered a "strong side gust," which caused the airplane to yaw into the wind, one wing to lift, and the other to drop and contact the runway. Following the wingtip contact with the runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff and brought the airplane to a stop on the remaining runway. The surface wind, recorded by the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) 48 minutes after the accident, was a 70-degree left crosswind at 18 knots with gusts to 31 knots.
Factual narrative
On January 21, 2002, at 1100 Pacific standard time, a Beech B36TC, N6427N, contacted the runway surface with the left wingtip during takeoff from the Mammoth Yosemite Airport, Mammoth Lakes, California. The airline transport certificated pilot and four passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The personal flight was operated by the owner under 14 CFR Part 91, and was destined for Van Nuys, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
The airplane departed on runway 27 (7,000 feet long by 100 feet wide, asphalt). The pilot reported that two other aircraft, one of similar weight and size, departed ahead of him as he performed his run-up. The windsock indicated the wind was variable from down the runway to a 45-degree left crosswind at 15 to 20 knots. During his takeoff roll, as he rotated the airplane for liftoff, the airplane encountered a "strong side gust," which caused the airplane to yaw into the wind, one wing to lift, and the other to drop and contact the runway. Following the wingtip contact with the runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff and brought the airplane to a stop on the remaining runway. The recorded Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) surface wind, 48 minutes after the accident, was from 200 degrees at 18 knots with gusts to 31 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6427N
- Reported as
- Beech B36TC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- EA-297
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-UB, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael E. McMann
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- MMH · Mammoth Lakes, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- MMH · Mammoth Yosemite, runway 27, 7,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 75 in this make and model · 1,900 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 18 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 18 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MMH
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 29, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 297 KB 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.