- Date
- April 18, 1999, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Orlando, FL
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N7204NBeech E33
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 19, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19990418020529A
- Case key
- 46264
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 during takeoff, resulting in the airplane departing the runway, and subsequently impacting with an airport sign.
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
Airport personnel noticed that an airport sign was down, and saw tire tracks leading to the sign, plus there was a wing step found near the sign. The tire marks continued on the grass and tracked back to the runway. The FAA, issued a notice that they were searching for an airplane with a damaged step. The airplane was found at the Marion County Airport, Dunnellon, Florida. The FAA then located the pilot and owner. The pilot said on the takeoff roll the nosewheel lifted off the runway, but the engine lost manifold pressure, and the airplane departed the side of the runway. The pilot stated, '...on takeoff, we experienced a brief loss of power...a drop in airspeed and a cross wind caused aircraft to blow to the left of runway...aircraft began to stall, upon lowering of nose to prevent stall/crash-we struck runway sign...we did not know that aircraft was damaged until 30 minutes into flight...' According to the FAA's report, '...PIC [pilot-in-command] upon attempting a takeoff on runway 07...[about 1,000 feet down the runway, the airplane] departed the runway surface [north side] striking a...information sign, then continued the takeoff...landing at Dunnellon, Florida.'
Factual narrative
On April 18, 1999, about 1100 eastern daylight time, a Beech E33, N7204N, registered to a private individual, struck a runway sign during takeoff at the Orlando Executive Airport, Orlando, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personnel flight. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight was originating at the time, and was en route to Bossier City, Louisiana.
Airport personnel noticed that an airport sign was down, and saw tire tracks leading to the sign, plus there was a wing step found near the sign. The tire marks continued on the grass and tracked back to the runway. The FAA, Flight Standards District Office, at Orlando, Florida, issued a notice that they were searching for an airplane with a damaged step. The airplane was found at the Marion County Airport, Dunnellon, Florida. The FAA then located the pilot and owner. The pilot said to the FAA, on the takeoff roll the nosewheel lifted off the runway, but the engine lost manifold pressure, and the airplane departed the side of the runway. After hitting the runway sign the flight continued to take off, and departed the area to the destination airport.
The pilot stated, "...on takeoff, we experienced a brief loss of power...a drop in airspeed and a cross wind caused aircraft to blow to the left of runway...aircraft began to stall, upon lowering of nose to prevent stall/crash-we struck runway sign...we did not know that aircraft was damaged until 30 minutes into flight...."
According to the FAA's report, "...PIC [pilot-in-command] upon attempting a takeoff on runway 07...[about 1,000 feet down the runway, the airplane] departed the runway surface [north side] striking a...information sign, then continued the takeoff...landing at Dunnellon, Florida."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7204N
- Reported as
- Beech E33
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CD 1152
- Airframe hours
- 1,768
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-K, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Progressive Stamping & Plating
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 9, 1998 · 10 hours before
- Destination
- DTN · Bossier City, LA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- ORL · Orlando Executive, runway 7, 6,003 × 150 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
- 57
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,400 total · 35 in this make and model · 40 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.