History of Flight
On January 12, 2009, at 1221 Pacific standard time, a Beech 95-A55, registration N9694Y, departed the runway during takeoff from runway 07 at Corona Municipal Airport (AJO) in Corona, California. The airplane collided with two parked airplanes and a hangar. The certificated private pilot, operating under 14 CFR Part 91, was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar and fuselage. The personal flight was destined for Glendale Municipal Airport, Arizona. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported that just before takeoff, a landing pilot warned of crosswinds. During the takeoff roll, as the airplane reached 20 to 40 feet above ground level, it began a right bank. The pilot noted the engines did not sound like full power and assumed a loss of power on the right engine caused the bank. He estimated rotation speed at 100 mph and did not recall retracting the landing gear. The airplane departed the runway to the right, striking two parked airplanes and a hangar.
A witness near midfield heard engines at full power, initially thinking an aborted landing, then saw the airplane at 20 feet agl begin a right bank before disappearing behind a building. He heard a collision and noted gusty crosswind conditions.
Security camera footage from 315 feet south of midfield showed the takeoff roll. The windsock indicated a roughly parallel wind during ground roll, then swung to a 60-degree left crosswind as the airplane rotated. The airplane banked right to about 45 degrees, crossed the taxiway, and the right wingtip contacted the surface before colliding with parked aircraft and a hangar.
Pilot Information
The 64-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings, but no multiengine rating. He had a third-class medical certificate issued May 2008 with no limitations. He reported 1,900 total flight hours, with 40 hours in multiengine airplanes, including 13.7 hours in the 90 days before the accident. FAA records showed he failed his private pilot multiengine land practical test on September 16, 2008.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear Beech 95-A55 was manufactured in 1963. It was powered by two Continental IO-470-L fuel-injected engines with Hartzell constant-speed propellers. Total time in service was 8,544.7 hours. The last annual inspection was August 26, 2008, 44.7 hours prior. The right engine was overhauled in May 2002 (558.7 hours prior), and the left engine in June 1997 (1,066.6 hours prior).
Meteorological Information
The closest weather station at Corona reported: at 1056, wind from 120 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 25 knots; at 1156, wind from 080 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 20 knots; at 1256, wind from 070 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 23 knots. Visibility was 10 miles, skies clear.
Tests and Research
First responders drained about 10 gallons of fuel from the right main tank; the left main tank was about half full. Both auxiliary tanks had residual fuel. Propellers showed similar aft bending and leading edge gouges. Engines exhibited no pre-impact catastrophic mechanical failure or fire. Both engines rotated freely, had thumb compression, and spark was observed. Borescope examination revealed no internal damage. The right engine electrical fuel pump operated normally. Control continuity was confirmed. Wing flaps were fully retracted.
Additional Information
The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) was recovered. It includes emergency procedures for engine failure after lift-off, emphasizing maintaining lateral and directional control. The POH lists air minimum control speed at 90 mph, best rate-of-climb one-engine-inoperative at 115 mph, and best angle-of-climb at 105 mph. Maximum demonstrated crosswind is 25 mph.