Beechcraft A23 N8772M

Summary

On 1 November 2003 at about 16:55 local time, a Beechcraft A23 registered N8772M was involved in an accident near Salem, New Jersey, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 November 2003 at 16:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Rainbows End (NONE)

Coordinates

39.5308, -75.4772

Aircraft

Beechcraft A23

Registration

N8772M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salem → Pedricktown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC04CA019

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff after his failure to obtain a proper climb rate. Factors related to the accident were the tailwind conditions, and the wet turf runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While departing from runway 01, the airplane lifted off, about 1,000 feet down the 1,800-foot long wet turf runway. The pilot felt a "strong breeze, almost a tailwind," and the airplane began to settle downward, touching back down on the runway surface. The airplane then bounced back into the air, and would not climb out of ground effect. The pilot decided not to abort the takeoff, fearing that the nosewheel would sink into the muddy runway, and flip the airplane over. As the airplane continued past the departure end of the runway, the airplane still would not climb, and pilot performed a forced landing to a marsh area. After the accident, the pilot stated that he "should have aborted the takeoff when he first had the chance to." The pilot additionally stated that the maximum allowable gross weight of the airplane was 2,350 pounds, and the takeoff weight at the time of the accident was 2,240 pounds. Review of the Airplane Flight Manual revealed that the total takeoff ground roll, from a level, dry, hard surfaced runway, was about 1,248 feet. No charts were available to compute a ground roll distance from a wet turf runway. The winds reported by an airport located about 7 miles west of the accident site, at 1151, were from 150 degrees at 5 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.