On May 22, 1982, a Boeing B75N1 (registration N65544) operated by William H. Dunkel was involved in an aviation accident near Alliance, OH. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude during a low-altitude turn after takeoff, which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent hard landing. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
After initiating a turn at low altitude post-takeoff, the pilot lost control and settled the aircraft into a residential backyard to avoid trees. The incident resulted in landing gear collapse due to the hard impact.
What happened
The pilot initiated a turn shortly after takeoff while flying at a low altitude. During this maneuver, the aircraft began to lose altitude rapidly. Facing an imminent collision with trees in the vicinity, the pilot made the decision to allow the aircraft to settle onto the ground in a residential backyard rather than attempting to regain control or continue the flight path.
The impact of the hard landing caused significant structural damage, specifically resulting in the collapse of the landing gear. There were no reported mechanical malfunctions with the aircraft that contributed to the occurrence of this event.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude during a low-altitude turn after takeoff, which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent hard landing.