Accident Summary
On September 7, 2009, at 1752 central daylight time, a Beech B36TC, registration N65873, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a taxiway at Sullivan Regional Airport (UUV) in Sullivan, Missouri. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was a personal trip under 14 CFR Part 91, departing Sullivan Regional Airport with the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS) in Chesterfield, Missouri, as the intended destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Pilot Actions and Witness Observations
The pilot reported that the airplane had just received its annual maintenance inspection and was being flown back to its home base. The preflight and run-up were normal, and all checklists were completed with no abnormal indications. The pilot taxied onto runway 06 and applied full power for takeoff. Rotation occurred at 80 knots with normal instrument readings. According to the pilot, he felt a "heavy, nose down pressure" and needed more back pressure than usual. The trim indicator showed a 6-degree nose-up setting, which was the takeoff setting. The pilot engaged the electric trim switch, but it did not relieve the downward pressure.
Deciding to return for landing on runway 06, the pilot banked left 30 degrees. Airspeed was about 85 knots but appeared to drop despite full power and level pitch, with landing gear still extended. The stall warning horn sounded midway through the turn, prompting the pilot to attempt a straight-in landing on runway 24. He reduced power, which increased nose-down pitch, then added power again to reach the runway. The airplane crossed over runway 24 near midfield, so the pilot aimed for the parallel taxiway. During a right bank to align with the taxiway, the right wingtip contacted the pavement. The pilot applied full brakes, and the airplane skidded off the taxiway, with the nose gear collapsing as it stopped.
A witness reported that the pilot arrived around 1730, fueled the airplane, and completed before-takeoff checks. The first takeoff was aborted due to birds near the runway. The second takeoff appeared normal until the airplane reached about 300 feet above ground level, then the airplane leveled off, made a wide turn to the west, and attempted to land on runway 24. The pilot radioed that he would land on the taxiway. After the accident, the witness saw the pilot move the elevator and elevator trim up and down while inside the airplane. Another witness observed the airplane return to land on the taxiway, saw the right wing touch down and bend upward, and noted that the nose wheel collapsed and the engine stopped as the airplane slid off the runway.
Post-Accident Examination
FAA inspectors examined the accident site and maintenance records. The site showed propeller ground scars where the airplane skidded through grass. The propeller blades were bent back at the base, with chordwise scratching and leading edge nicks. The elevator trim tab indicator showed a 1-degree nose-down setting. The flaps were in the up position.
The elevator and elevator trim systems were checked for continuity, proper operation, and direction of travel. The elevator had continuity and moved stop-to-stop. The elevator trim had continuity, and manual trim operated correctly without binding. The zero-degree trim indication was verified as accurate. The electric elevator trim system operated correctly in both directions.
Maintenance records showed the airplane had about 1,095 total hours. The mechanic who performed the annual inspection stated that he checked the elevator and trim systems and found no problems, so no maintenance was performed on those systems. The aircraft logbooks, work order, and inspection checklist showed no indication of maintenance on the elevator or elevator trim systems.
The 30-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings, and a third-class medical certificate. He reported about 340 total flight hours, with 290 hours in the same make and model. His last flight review was on August 22, 2009. The winds at Rolla National Airport (VIH), about 29 nautical miles west of the accident site, were reported at 320 degrees at 4 knots.