On January 3, 1997, an Aerostar 601P (registration N3CD) operated by Christopher Pavlides was involved in an aviation accident near Chesapeake, VA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: failure of the pilot to maintain proper altitude/clearance above the ground after takeoff. A related factor was the pilot's self-induced pressure to depart before the arrival of bad weather. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane crashed shortly after takeoff. It had been fueled with 120 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel to full tanks. The pilot mentioned wanting to depart before bad weather. Post-impact examination of engines and propellers showed no pre-existing discrepancies aside from heat damage.
Accident Overview
The airplane departed from the airport and crashed shortly thereafter. The circumstances of the flight were routine until the accident occurred.
Pre-Departure Events
Before departure, the airplane was fueled with 120 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. According to the refueler, the airplane had full fuel tanks at that time. The refueler also indicated that the pilot had stated he wanted to be airborne prior to the arrival of bad weather.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, the engines and propellers were disassembled and examined. No engine or propeller discrepancies were noted, except for post-impact heat damage.
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