Beechcraft C23 N6566R

Summary

On 7 May 2016 at about 22:00 local time, a Beechcraft C23 registered N6566R was involved in an accident near Yucca Valley, California, 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

7 May 2016 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Yucca Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Yucca Valley (L22)

Coordinates

34.1297, -116.4069

Aircraft

Beechcraft C23

Registration

N6566R

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Yucca Valley → Yucca Valley

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA228

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to attain airspeed and a positive rate of climb during takeoff in gusty wind conditions, resulting in a loss of directional control, an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the student pilot, during the takeoff on runway 24, the wind was variable at 10 knots. He reported that he departed runway 24 and as the airplane began to climb, "a sudden crosswind gust" made the airplane drift to the right of the runway centerline. He reported that the flight controls became unresponsive, the airplane descended and the left wing struck the ground, then the right wing struck the ground. The airplane was resting on a sand berm, and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. A post-accident inspection by an NTSB Air Safety Investigator revealed that there were no flight control anomalies. The nearest weather reporting station, 19 miles south of the accident site, at the time of the accident reported that the wind was from 330 degrees true at 12 knots gusting to 18 knots. Furthermore the wind direction was variable from 310 degrees true to 020 degrees true. A postaccident examination of the flight controls showed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.