Plane Pitched Up At Runway End, Rolled To Right

The following is the full preliminary report issued Tuesday by the National Transportation Safety Board on last week's accident involving a Mooney M20E piloted by South Carolina Lt. Governor Andre Bauer.

On May 23, 2006, at 1830 eastern daylight time, a Mooney M20E single engine airplane, N3217F, registered to Bunk Aviation LLC, and operated by an individual as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees and power lines on initial takeoff and climb from a private airstrip in the vicinity of Blacksburg, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire. The private-rated pilot received serious injuries and the commercial-rated passenger received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

A friend of the pilot and a witness to the accident stated the pilot and his passenger arrived at the airport in N3217F around 1700 and landed on runway 24. The pilot and passenger were then driven to a friend's house. The pilot and his passenger returned to the airport and a thorough pre-flight inspection was completed with no anomalies found. The pilot wanted to turn the airplane around before starting it. The pilot and three others attempted to move the airplane by hand with negative results. The pilot entered the airplane and released the parking brake and exited the airplane. They again attempted to move the airplane, with negative results.

The pilot and passenger then entered the airplane. The pilot started the engine, turned the airplane around with power, and taxied to runway 06 for a VFR departure to Columbia Downtown Airport, Columbia, South Carolina. The witness stated he heard the pilot conduct an engine run up and observed the airplane begin its take off roll at 1830. The witness stated the airplane traveled about 400 to 500 feet down the runway and he estimated the ground speed of the airplane between 15 to 20 knots. The pilot continued the takeoff roll.

Upon reaching the end of the runway, the airplane was observed to make an abrupt pitch up to an attitude estimated to be between 25 to 30 degrees. The witness stated it appeared that the tail tie down ring contacted the ground. The airplane became airborne, cleared the trees, rolled to the right, and disappeared from view. The witness heard two impact sounds and he called the emergency 911 operators to report the accident. The witness went to the crash scene and observed where the airplane had collided with trees and power lines. The airplane came to rest in a creek bed and was engulfed by fire. The passenger exited the airplane and other persons who had arrived at the crash scene assisted the pilot out of the airplane.

The witness stated the grass runway is designated 06-24, the length of the runway is 1,400 feet long, and the width is 80 feet. The departure end of runway 06 has a drop off to a ravine with a creek bed and a tree line borders the departure end of the runway. The tops of the trees have been cut out.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov