ALBANY, GA, USA
N11TP
BEECH 70
DURING TAKEOFF, THE ACFT ROLLED ABRUPTLY TO THE RIGHT AFTER LIFT-OFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT WINGTIP STRUCK THE SURFACE, THEN THE ACFT CARTWHEELED & CRASHED. THE FUSELAGE WAS DESTROYED BY A POST-CRASH FIRE. AN EXAM OF THE ENGS REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT ENG SUPERCHARGER INTERMEDIATE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT HAD BECOME WORN & ONE OF ITS GEAR TEETH HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT AN OUT-OF-MESH CONDITION OCCURRED, WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER DURING TAKEOFF. ALSO, THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 679 LBS OVER ITS MAX CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT. DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE ABOUT 2000 FT.
THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE SUPERCHARGER INTERMEDIATE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT (GEAR TOOTH), WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER, AND THE PILOT'S INITIATION OF LIFT-OFF BEFORE REACHING VMC AIRSPEED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WORN INTERMEDIATE DRIVE GEAR SHAFT, THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ABOVE ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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