History of Flight
On May 3, 2008, at 1835 eastern daylight time, a Beech A35, registration N546B, was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from Souther Field Airport in Americus, Georgia. The private pilot and two passengers were killed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in day visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight to Bessemer Airport in Bessemer, Alabama.
The pilot had arrived at the airport the previous day to attend a local convention. He returned to the airport around 1400 on the day of the accident and secured the airplane, citing weather concerns. He left again and returned about 1830 to prepare for takeoff. A lineman observed the pilot taxi directly from the tie-down spot to runway 23 without performing a run-up, appearing to be "in a hurry."
An eyewitness reported that the airplane became airborne, reached about 100 feet above ground level, and then began a left bank. The engine continued to sound as if at takeoff power until impact. The bank steepened until the wings were nearly perpendicular to the ground, and the airplane lost altitude, impacting the ground adjacent to the parallel taxiway.
Personnel Information
The 42-year-old pilot held a FAA private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and a restriction of night flying prohibited, issued September 12, 1984. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued May 18, 2007, at which time he reported 1,430 total flight hours, with 100 hours in the previous six months.
Aircraft Information
The 1948-model Beech A35 (serial number D-1564) was a four-seat, single-engine airplane with tricycle retractable landing gear, powered by a Teledyne Continental Motors E-185-8 engine installed on January 5, 2004. Maximum gross weight was 2,650 pounds; estimated takeoff weight was 2,613 pounds, within center of gravity limits. The airworthiness certificate was issued June 4, 1948. The owner purchased the airplane on March 25, 2006, and it was registered June 15, 2006. An annual inspection completed June 5, 2007, recorded total aircraft time at 4,155 hours, engine time in service at 2,418 hours, and 1,295 hours since major overhaul.
Meteorological Information
Weather recorded at Columbus Regional Airport, 45 nautical miles from the accident site, at 1835: wind from 210 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 15 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 27°C, dew point 10°C, altimeter 29.78 inHg. Official sunset for Americus was 2019 EDT; for Bessemer, 2032 EDT.
Airport Information
Souther Field Airport (ACJ), located about 4 miles northeast of Americus, had two runways: 5/23 and 9/27. Runway 23 was 6,021 feet long and 100 feet wide. The airport had no control tower and utilized a common traffic advisory frequency. No evidence of the aircraft contacting any ATC facility or Flight Service Station was found.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane initially struck the ground east of the parallel taxiway in a nose-down attitude, with impact and post-impact fire damage. Control continuity was confirmed to all control surfaces from near the control column, but due to fire damage, continuity to the column could not be verified. The nose came to rest on a heading of 285 degrees. The right wing's outboard section had leading edge damage and remained attached; the right flap actuator indicated flaps fully retracted. The left wing inboard section and cabin were consumed by fire. The tail section, including the ruddervator, was attached and sustained impact damage. The pitch trim actuator measured 5 degrees tab trailing edge up. The gust lock was not located, but the opening where it would be placed showed no deformations.
The propeller hub stayed attached to the crankshaft; the spinner was crushed. One propeller blade was detached at the initial impact point, about three feet forward of the main wreckage, showing chordwise scratches and bending opposite rotation. The other blade remained attached with slight S-bending.
The engine displayed fire damage. Spark plugs had grayish electrodes. Crankshaft continuity was confirmed on all cylinders; thumb compression and suction were produced. Normal combustion deposits were seen in cylinders. The carburetor was mostly destroyed; the inlet fuel screen was free of debris. Throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat controls were attached, but positions could not be confirmed due to fire. The oil filter had impact and fire damage with no metallic debris. Magnetos were destroyed. The fuel selector was set to the left tank.
The entry door was found about 15 feet from the main wreckage; the upper hook latch and receiver were deformed.
Medical and Pathological Information
The cause of death was determined as "generalized blunt force injuries." Toxicology tests conducted by the FAA's Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and drugs.