- Date
- August 21, 2005, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Healdsburg, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7226MBeech A36
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050821029309A
- Case key
- 62313
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 lateral aircraft control during takeoff.
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
The wing dragged on the ground during takeoff. The pilot rotated at 75 knots. Shortly after liftoff, he felt the airplane roll and yaw; he thought that he was encountering a wind shear. The pilot initiated corrective control inputs with the rudder, neutral aileron, and forward yoke pressure. The airplane attitude and flight path returned to normal, and the pilot retracted the landing gear. The pilot did not feel or hear the impact of the left wing tip and was surprised to see the damage during the climb phase of the flight. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport where he executed an emergency landing. The pilot stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 2005, about 1400 Pacific daylight time, the wing of a Beech A36, N7226M, dragged the ground during takeoff at Healdsburg Municipal Airport (O31), Healdsburg, California. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight departed Healdsburg at 1400, with a planned destination of Truckee, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The approximate global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the accident site were 38 degrees 39 minutes north latitude by 122 degrees 53 minutes west longitude.
The pilot reported that during takeoff he rotated at 75 knots. Shortly after liftoff, he felt the airplane roll and yaw; he thought that he was encountering a wind shear. The pilot initiated corrective control inputs with the rudder, neutral aileron, and forward yoke pressure. The airplane attitude and flight path returned to normal, and the pilot retracted the landing gear. The pilot did not feel or hear the impact of the left wing tip and was surprised to see the damage during the climb phase of the flight. The pilot elected to divert to Napa County Airport, Napa, California, where he executed an emergency landing.
In the pilot's written report, he stated that the airplane and engine had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7226M
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-2228
- Airframe hours
- 998
- Engine
- Continental IO-550-B1B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Marcia & Daniel Turner
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2005 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- O31 · Healdsburg, CA
- Destination
- TRK · Truckee, CA
- Airport
- O31 · Healdsburg Muni, runway 13, 2,707 × 60 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
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 1, 2005
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,300 total · 59 in this make and model · 2,900 as pilot in command · 14 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 165° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.