Pilot Debrief

BEECH C23 near Rexburg, ID — 2017-08-21

Final reportGAA17CA500
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Date
2017-08-21
Location
Rexburg, ID, USA
Airport
RXE
Aircraft
BEECH C23
Registration
N6576R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot's delayed decision to land the airplane with insufficient runway remaining after realizing the airplane wasn't climbing.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll, about 2,100 ft down the 4,210-ft-long runway, the airplane had accelerated to 65 knots. The airplane remained in ground effect for about 1,000 more feet but would not climb. The pilot feared the airplane would collide with obstacles beyond the end of the runway, and he aborted the takeoff. During landing, the airplane bounced, and when it descended back to the runway, the pilot immediately applied the brakes. The airplane exited the left side of the runway before reaching the runway threshold. The airplane continued about 120 ft and then collided with a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the lower left fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 200° at 8 knots, and the temperature was 73°F. The field elevation was 4,862 ft, and the density altitude was 6,682 ft. According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook, under the reported weather conditions, the minimum ground roll was about 2,249 ft, and the minimum distance to clear a 50-ft obstacle was about 3,701 ft. Further, the normal distance to land would have been about 901 ft. According to FAA-H-8083-25A, The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge, Chapter 10 (Aircraft Performance) pg.16: The most critical conditions of landing performance are combinations of high gross weight, high density altitude, and unfavorable wind. These conditions produce the greatest required landing distances and critical levels of energy dissipation required of the brakes. In all cases, it is necessary to make an accurate prediction of minimum landing distance to compare with the available runway. A polished, professional landing procedure is necessary because the landing phase of flight accounts for more pilot-caused aircraft accidents than any other single phase of flight.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff earlier to avoid collision risk.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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