MIA01FA223

The fuel tanks were filled just before takeoff; there were no known witnesses who observed the takeoff roll. According to a witness near where the airplane crashed, the airplane was flying at a low altitude and banked to the left. He thought the airplane was going to hit his house; the engine appeared to him to be running at a low power setting and was also noted to be running rough. He heard what he reported was a sound he associated with a "bush hog", then heard the impact and called 911. The airplane came to rest on the ground inverted; there was no swath through the trees indicating a gradual descent. All components necessary to sustain flight were in the immediate vicinity of the crash site; there was no evidence of post crash fire. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of an approximate 10-inch diameter felled tree at the accident site revealed evidence of 2 propeller strikes; one of the cuts in the tree exhibited black paint transfer. The first strike was only approximately 1.25 inches deep into the tree and the second was approximately 4 inches deep into the tree. Examination of the propeller which had the propeller blades painted black on the aft side revealed one propeller blade was bent slightly forward. The second propeller blade exhibited leading edge twisting towards low pitch, was bent aft approximately 30-degrees, the tip was bent forward, and slight chordwise scratches were noted from the tip inboard approximately 21 inches. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Bench testing of the fuel system components revealed no evidence of preimpact failure. The runway used by the pilot is up sloping approximately 1.5 percent. Performance calculations from the takeoff distance chart indicated that based on a weather observation at a nearby airport, the distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle was 2,616 feet. The performance chart is for a paved level runway; there is no note describing what distance to add for an up sloping runway.

History of flight

On August 19, 2001, at about 1443 eastern daylight time, a Beech A-23, N8869M, registered to a private individual, crashed in a wooded area behind a house shortly after takeoff from the Blairsville Airport, Blairsville, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and the private-rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated about 3 minutes earlier from the Blairsville Airport.

According to the individual who refueled the airplane before the flight departed, both fuel tanks were filled. The individual also reported that he heard the engine start but did not witness the takeoff. There were no witnesses to the takeoff. According to a witness whose property the airplane crashed on, he observed the airplane bank to the left while flying at a low altitude. He reported that the engine sounded like it was operating at a low power setting and was running rough. He thought the airplane was going to crash into his house, but heard a sound he associated with a "bush hog." He then heard the impact and called 911. The airplane came to rest inverted in a wooded area behind the witnesses house; there was no post crash fire.

Personnel information

The pilot was the holder of a private-pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating which was issued on May 8, 1981. He was the holder of a third class medical certificate issued on March 1, 2001, with the limitation, "Holder shall wear lenses that correct for distant vision and posses glasses that correct for near vision while exercising privileges of his airman's certificate."

Review of his pilot logbook revealed that he had logged approximately 101 total flight hours, approximately 13 hours of which were in the accident make and model airplane. He logged a total of 15 flights lasting a total of approximately 16 hours between October 21, 2000, and July 27, 2001. A copy of the pilot logbook is an attachment to this report.

Aircraft information

The aircraft permanent maintenance records were not located. An "Inspection Report" obtained by the FAA inspector-in-charge (IIC) revealed that the airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on July 14, 2001. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated approximately 3 hours since the inspection. A copy of the inspection report is an attachment to this report.

Meteorological information

A METAR weather observation taken from the Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport (KGVL), Gainesville, Georgia, at 1453 local, indicates that the wind was from 260 degrees at 9 knots, the visibility was 10 statute miles, few clouds existed at 3,500 feet, the temperature and dew point were 29 and 20 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 29.98 inHg. The accident airport was located approximately 36 nautical miles and 341 degrees magnetic from KGVL. The density altitude was calculated to be 3,966 feet mean sea level based on the temperature and altimeter setting at the KGVL Airport, and the field elevation at the accident airport.

According to the person who fueled the airplane, he noted the wind was from the west when he was notified of the airplane accident by law enforcement. A copy of his statement is an attachment to this report.

Aerodrome information

The airport is equipped with one asphalt runway designated 7/25, which is 3,800 feet long and 75 feet wide. The airport elevation is 1,911 feet mean sea level. Review of the "Georgia Airport Directory" dated 2001-2002, revealed, "CAUTION: Runway slopes downhill 1.5% to the east." A copy of the airport depiction plate is an attachment to this report.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane crashed in a wooded area behind a private residence. There was no swath through the trees, indicating a gradual descent. The main wreckage was located at 34 degrees 51.039 minutes North latitude and 084 degrees 00.684 minutes West longitude. That location when plotted was .60 nautical mile and 255 degrees magnetic from the departure end of runway 25 at the Blairsville Airport. Examination of the accident site revealed an approximate 10-inch diameter tree was uprooted; the outboard section of the left wing containing the pitot tube and landing light was found at the base of the tree. Examination of the uprooted tree revealed two cuts; the first cut was located approximately 40 feet 8 inches above ground level; the cut depth was approximately 1.25 inches. The second cut was located 24 inches beneath the first and was approximately 7.5 inches in width and approximately 4 inches in depth. Black paint transfer was noted on the second cut surface.

The main wreckage which was inverted, was located approximately 48 feet and 214 degrees magnetic from the base of the uprooted tree; all components necessary to sustain flight were found in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The fuselage was oriented on a magnetic heading of 280 degrees; the left wing was in its relative position but a 2-inch gap was noted at the wing root area. Damage to the leading edge of the left wing spanned 45 inches in length. The right wing consisted of 3 sections; the major section of the wing consisting of an approximate 105-inch span from the wing root, outboard. That section was rotated 180 degrees from its normal installed position but was still connected to the airframe by the aileron control cable. The remaining separated pieces of the right wing were found in the immediate vicinity of the accident site. The propeller with attached segment of the propeller flange was separated from the engine but was found in the immediate vicinity behind the left wing. The empennage was noted to be displaced to the right, and the right side of the right horizontal stabilator was separated. A semi-circular indentation was noted on the leading edge of the right side of the horizontal stabilator near the fuselage. Examination of the aileron, rudder, and elevator flight control cables revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. No obstructions were noted from either fuel tank forward in the system to the inlet of the engine-driven fuel pump or in either fuel vent system. The engine was removed from the airplane for further examination at the manufacturer's facility.

Examination of the engine at the manufacturer's facility with FAA oversight revealed that the crankshaft was fractured aft of the propeller flange. The fracture was consistent with overstress separation and there was no evidence of preexisting cracks. The remainder of the crankshaft, camshaft and valve train continuity was confirmed. Examination of the ignition system components revealed that impact damage to the right magneto precluded bench testing. Bench testing of the left magneto revealed it operated and produced spark to all ignition leads of the slave ignition harness. Bench testing of the engine fuel delivery system components consisting of the engine driven fuel pump, manifold valve with fuel injector lines and nozzles, and throttle/metering valve, revealed no evidence of preimpact failure (see the engine examination report from Teledyne Continental which is an attachment to this report).

Examination of the propeller which was painted black on the aft portion of the blade revealed that one blade exhibited a very slight forward bend and the leading edge was twisted towards low pitch. The other propeller blade exhibited a forward bend of the blade tip and leading edge twisting towards low pitch. The blade was also bent aft approximately 30 degrees and slight chordwise abrasions were noted from the blade tip inboard about 21 inches.

Medical and pathological information

Postmortem examinations of the pilot and right front seat passenger were performed by Kris Sperry, Chief Medic