- Date
- May 8, 2004, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crystal River, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3659QBeech A23A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040508017389A
- Case key
- 59204
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 pilots failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout, which resulted in the airplane departing the runway and incurring damage.
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 pilot stated the approach as well as the landing flare/touchdown at Crystal River Airport, was normal, but about 50 feet after the initial touchdown the airplane suddenly veered to the left. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway, crossed a grass median and taxiway, coming to rest in a ditch, incurring structural damage. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident stated that the accident airplane made tire skid marks 3000 feet down the runway in the vicinity of a taxiway entrance/exit to the runway, and an examination of the accident aircraft's brake system revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On May 8, 2004, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Beech A23A, N3659Q, registered to and operated by a private individual, veered off the runway during landing rollout at Crystal River Airport, Crystal River, Florida, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were not injured. The flight originated the same day, from Pilot Country Airport, Spring Hill, Florida, about 1250.
The pilot stated that while landing at Crystal River Airport, after a normal landing flare/touchdown and initial rollout, about 50 feet beyond his touchdown point the airplane suddenly veered to the left, departing the runway. He stated that he attempted to use the right brake and nose wheel steering to control the airplane, but it seemed that the right brake either "locked up" or provided no braking at all, and the airplane exited the runway incurring damage.
An FAA inspector who responded to the accident, stated that the airplane departed the runway at about 3,000 feet down the landing runway in the vicinity of a taxiway entrance/exit to the runway. He further stated that after the airplane departed the runway, it impacted a runway sign, crossed a grass median and a taxiway, and came to rest in a ditch about a 100 yards from the runway. The inspector further stated that he examined the accident aircraft's brake system, and no anomalies were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3659Q
- Reported as
- Beech A23A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M-1043
- Airframe hours
- 2,200
- Engine
- Continental IO346A, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David M. Velzke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 6, 2004 · 1.5 hours before
- Departed
- X05 · Spring Hill, FL
- Destination
- CGC · Crystal River, FL
- Airport
- CGC · Crystal River, runway 9, 4,555 × 75 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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- February 22, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 141 total · 7 in this make and model · 101 as pilot in command · 7 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.18 inHg
- Observed at
- BKV, 27 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.