- Date
- July 2, 2000, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Wales, FL
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N983KBeech 65-A90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 4, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000702004849A
- Case key
- 49616
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 inadequate visual lookout while maneuvering to avoid a flock of birds shortly after takeoff, resulting in the aircraft colliding with a wire. A factor in the accident was the pilot's fatigue after having worked everyday for the previous 3 weeks.
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
After takeoff the pilot raised the landing gear and then had to take evasive action to the right to avoid a flock of birds. As he performed the evasive maneuver, he raised the flaps. The aircraft was slow, and he kept the nose down to build up speed for the climb. Just as he was to commence the climb, he caught a glimpse of a wire ahead. He pulled up rapidly, but contacted the wire with the right wing. The wire broke. He entered downwind and landed on runway 6. The pilot stated that he was fatigued, frustrated, and disappointed after he had worked straight for the previous 3 weeks, and had been unable to get a day off.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 2000, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Beech 65-A90, N983K, registered to Silver Lining Service, Inc., collided with wires during takeoff from Lake Wales Municipal Airport, Lake Wales, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 parachute flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot and six parachutists were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated he took off on runway 6. After takeoff he raised the landing gear and then had to take evasive action to the right to avoid a flock of birds. As he performed the evasive maneuver, he raised the flaps. The aircraft was slow, and he kept the nose down to build up speed for the climb. Just as he was to commence the climb, he caught a glimpse of a wire ahead. He pulled up rapidly, but contacted the wire with the right wing. The wire broke. He entered downwind and landed on runway 6. The pilot stated that he was fatigued, frustrated, and disappointed after he had worked straight for the previous 3 weeks, and had been unable to get a day off.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N983K
- Reported as
- Beech 65-A90
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LJ-169
- Airframe hours
- 8,900
- Engine
- P&W PT6A-20, 500 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Skydive Lake Wales
- Registered owner
- Silver Lining Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 10, 1999 · 120 hours before
- Departed
- X07
- Airport
- X07 · Lake Wales, runway 6, 3,800 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,650 total · 110 in this make and model · 1,570 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BOW, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.