Alexandria, MN, USA
N134BA
BEECH 65-A80-8800
The pilot reported that the takeoff was conducted below the airplane’s maximum gross weight. Although his written statement and interviews indicated that there was no frost on the airplane during his preflight examination, the police report of the accident stated that the pilot told the responding officer immediately after the accident that there could have been frost on the wings of the airplane. The airport manager who responded to the accident scene reported that all airplane surfaces were covered with frost when he arrived a short time after the accident. The pilot reported that during the takeoff the rotation speed was between 82 and 85 knots. The pilot’s reports of what happened after rotation were consistent, indicating that the airplane began to veer to the right and began shaking. The pilot stated that he did not hear a stall warning and that the airplane did not feel like it was in a stall. While the pilot tried to correct the veering to the right, the airplane pitched down, turned left, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane then bounced, the right wing struck the ground, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The left wing sustained substantial damage. Airplane performance data indicated that the proper rotation speed for a maximum gross weight takeoff was 96 knots. The power-on stall speed at maximum gross weight for the airplane with landing gear extended and flaps retracted was not specifically listed but would have been between 78 and 91 knots based on available performance data from the airplane owner’s manual. In addition, the performance data would have been for an airplane without frost on it; frost would have increased the speed. Based on the available evidence it is likely that the airplane had frost contamination, which the pilot ignored. He then rotated the airplane during the maximum gross-weight takeoff at a speed below the airplane manufacturer’s recommended rotation speed. The slower speed in combination with degraded performance due to frost contamination of the airplane’s flying surfaces resulted in exceedance of the critical angle of attack, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with the ground.
On December 28, 2020, about 1945 central standard time, a Beech 65-A80-8800, N134BA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Alexandria, Minnesota. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand cargo flight. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and that it was free of frost. While loading the airplane with cargo, he determined that the airplane would be over its maximum gross weight limit of 8,800 pounds, so he elected to not load one 120-pound package to stay under the gross weight limit. In separate reports and interviews, the pilot stated that he rotated the airplane on takeoff between 82 and 85 knots. When the airplane was about 20-30 ft in the air, with the landing gear extended, it turned sharp to the right and the pilot corrected by applying aileron and rudder. The pilot reported that within a few seconds the airplane started to shake, and it entered a steep descent to the left; the left wing hit the ground. He did not hear a stall warning horn. The airplane bounced slightly to the right and the right landing gear collapsed. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The airplane came to rest about 4,000 ft from the start of the runway and about 600 ft left of the runway centerline. The flaps were retracted, and the landing gear was in the down position. The police report of the accident indicated that the pilot told the responding officer immediately after the accident that there could have been some frost on the wings of the airplane. The airport manager who responded to the accident scene reported that all the airplane surfaces were covered with frost when he arrived a short time after the accident. A checklist found within the accident airplane listed a rotation speed of 83 knots for takeoff weight below 8,000 pounds and 96 knots for 8,800 pounds. Review of the Owner’s Manual applicable to the accident airplane revealed a listed takeoff rotation speed at the maximum gross weight of 8,800 pounds as 96 knots. The stall speed chart indicated that the maximum gross weight power-on stall speed with landing gear and flaps retracted was 91 knots, and the power-on stall speed with the landing gear and flaps extended was 78 knots. There was no stall speed chart for an airplane configured with the flaps retracted and the landing gear extended.
The pilot’s decision to attempt takeoff with frost covering the airplane and rotating below the published rotation speed, which led to exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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