- Date
- January 28, 1995, 12:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Zellwood, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N109DBBeebe, Dale G. RV-6
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950128000909A
- Case key
- 37724
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 improper in-flight decision by the pilot to abort takeoff with insufficient runway remaining.
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 of the experimental airplane stated the canopy opened just after liftoff. He further stated he 'was out of runway' and then reduced power in an attempt to abort takeoff. He flew past the end of the runway, collided with trees, and nosed over.
Factual narrative
On January 28, 1995, about 1205 eastern standard time, an RV-6, registered to Dale G. Beebe, crashed during takeoff at Bob White Airport, Zellwood, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the private-rated pilot was not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot stated shortly after liftoff of runway 27 the canopy opened. The pilot then reduced power and attempted to close the canopy; thereafter, he lost control and collided with the trees.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N109DB
- Reported as
- Beebe, Dale G. RV-6
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 20502
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Beebe, Dale G.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- X61 · FL
- Airport
- X61 · Bob White Field, runway 27, 3,300 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 461 total · 129 in this make and model · 403 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORL, 19 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.