Beechcraft 58 N297AT

Summary

On 16 February 2015 at about 05:45 local time, a Beechcraft 58 registered N297AT, operated by GTA Air Inc, was involved in an accident near Denver, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 February 2015 at 05:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Denver, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Centenial Airport (APA)

Coordinates

39.5700, -104.8494

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58

Registration

N297AT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1982

Engines

2

Operator

GTA Air Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Denver → Chesterfield

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN15LA144

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a rejected takeoff from a slush-covered runway at night.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after the cargo was loaded onto the airplane for the night flight, he performed a contamination check of the airplane, and the airplane was free of contamination. After performing the run-up checks, the pilot activated the anti-ice systems and taxied onto the runway; he noted that air traffic control had reported about an hour before the accident that about 1/2 inch of wet snow had accumulated on the runway and that the runway surface was unplowed and "slushy." He started the takeoff roll and, as the airplane rotated, slush from the runway hit the windshield, and the pilot lost all forward visibility. Once airborne, the airplane drifted left, and the pilot attempted to abort the takeoff. The pilot reported that he "had difficulty maintaining directional control" and that he tried to land the airplane back on the runway, but it impacted the side of the runway and struck a runway light. Once the airplane was stopped on the runway, he taxied it back to the hangar. The examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.