Preliminary Findings Are That Airplane Was Almost 200 Pounds Over Gross

We've all heard some rube at one time or another intone, "if you can close the door on it, it'll fly." But this incident proves again that the old saw is not true. The NTSB has released its preliminary findings in an aborted takeoff in Fairmont, West Virginia that injured four people, two of the seriously. They found that the aircraft was 192 pounds over maximum gross weight at the time of the attempted departure.

NTSB Identification: ERA09LA530
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 19, 2009 in Fairmont, WV
Aircraft: BEECH A36, registration: N57S
Injuries: 4 Serious.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On September 19, 2009, about 0915 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36, N57S, was substantially damaged after an aborted takeoff and runway overrun at Fairmont Municipal Airport (4G7), Fairmont, West Virginia. The certificated commercial pilot/owner and one passenger were seriously injured, and two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that was originating at the time of the accident. The planned destination was Auburn/Opelieka Robert G. Pitts Airport (AUO), Auburn, Alabama.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he planned to fly to Alabama to attend a college football game. Prior to departure, he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane, filled the tanks with fuel, loaded luggage, and then briefed and boarded his 3 passengers. He completed the engine start and run-up by the checklist, with no anomalies noted, and taxied the airplane for takeoff. The pilot stated that prior to loading the airplane, he calculated that the airplane did not exceed its maximum allowable gross weight.

The pilot positioned the airplane on runway 23 for takeoff with the flaps retracted, and applied full power prior to releasing the brakes. According to the pilot, “The airplane appeared to accelerate fine until I got to about 4 feet above the runway, but it didn't want to fly. The only way to get it to fly was to push the nose down, and I didn't want to do that, so I pulled the power off and landed. I was about three-quarters of the way down the runway when I aborted the takeoff. The airplane was performing fine.”

The pilot stated that about the same time he realized the airplane would not climb, he noticed the up-sloping embankment at the departure end of the 2,859 foot runway. “I just didn’t recognize the hill at the departure end. It was my fault, and an airport design fault.”

In a telephone interview, one witness stated that the airplane caught his eye because it was one-half to three-quarters of the way down the runway on the takeoff roll, and only about 6 feet above the runway. The airplane then suddenly dropped back to the runway and skid the remaining length before sliding up the embankment.

A review of FAA airman records and the pilot’s logbook revealed that pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft helicopter. His most recent FAA third class medical certificate was issued April 2009. The pilot recorded about 3,910 total hours of flight experience, of which 393 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. He recorded 20 hours of total flight experience in the previous 90 days.

A review of the pilot’s logbook revealed that the pilot stopped recording flights on May 23, 1997, and resumed recording flights May 28, 2009.

According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1985 and had accrued 2,821 total aircraft hours. Its most recent annual inspection was completed July 23, 2009, at 2,806 total aircraft hours. The maximum allowable gross weight for the airplane was 3,650 pounds.

Weight and balance calculations were completed using the airplane’s maintenance records, and the weights volunteered by the pilot, his passengers, 40 pounds of baggage, and 70 gallons of fuel. The estimated weight of the airplane at takeoff was 3,842 pounds.

Examination of photographs revealed substantial damage to the engine compartment, and separation of all three landing gear. The engine appeared separated from its mounts, but remained attached by lines and cables.

Skid marks on the runway measured about 450 feet from the initial marks to the departure end of the paved runway, and continued across the grass overrun apron and up the embankment another 228 feet to the wreckage.

FMI; www.ntsb.gov