- Date
- April 25, 1999, 08:50 local (12:50 UTC)
- Place
- Apex, NC
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9249SBeech 23
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990425004019A
- Case key
- 46149
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 control of the airplane resulting in the airplane drifting, and subsequently impacting with trees.
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 had taxied the airplane to runway 09, and planned a short field takeoff. He ran the engine to full power, released the foot brakes, applied full right rudder, in anticipation of the airplane yawing to the left, and applied back pressure on the yoke. As the nose rotated, the stall warning horn sounded and the airplane drifted to the right. The pilot applied left aileron, but never released the right rudder pedal. The airplane continued to drift right until it struck a tree, turning the airplane hard to the right, and striking the next tree with the spinner of the propeller. The airplane came to rest opposite the direction of takeoff, against a clutter of trees, supported by the left wing
Factual narrative
On March 25, 1999, about 0850 eastern daylight time, a Beech 23, N9249S, registered to an individual impacted with a tree during climbout near Apex, North Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries, and two passengers reported serious injuries. The flight had just departed en route to Orangeburg, South Carolina, and was originating at the time.
The pilot had taxied the airplane to runway 09, and planned a short field takeoff. He ran the engine to full power, released the foot brakes, applied full right rudder, in anticipation of the airplane yawing to the left, and applied back pressure on the yoke. As the nose rotated, the stall warning horn sounded and the airplane drifted to the right. The pilot applied left aileron, but never released the right rudder pedal. The airplane continued to drift right until it struck a tree, turning the airplane hard to the right, and striking the next tree with the spinner of the propeller. The airplane came to rest opposite the direction of takeoff, against a cluster of trees, supported by the left wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9249S
- Reported as
- Beech 23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M1748
- Airframe hours
- 2,963
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dennis Harrell
- Registered owner
- Edisto Flyers Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 1998 · 386 hours before
- Departed
- NC81
- Destination
- OGB · Orangeburg, SC
- Airport
- NONE · Cox Field, runway 9, 1,900 × 60 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
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 140 total · 27 in this make and model · 97 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 48 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 15 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.
Other investigations on N9249S · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.