What happened
On July 26, 2017, a Beech A36TC, registration N60WB, departed from Ogden-Hinckley Airport (OGD) in Utah, bound for Yellowstone Airport in Montana. Shortly after takeoff from runway 17, the pilot notified the tower controller that the aircraft was "going down."
The aircraft descended and impacted the northbound side of a freeway approximately 1/2 mile from the departure end of the runway. The impact occurred near the edge of the highway, and the wreckage came to rest in the median. The accident resulted in 4 fatal injuries, involving the pilot and three passengers.
Witnesses on the ground reported that during the initial climb, the airplane appeared to be flying at an unusually low altitude for its position down the runway. Mechanics at the airport noted the engine sounded underpowered and observed the tail of the aircraft moving up and an down, suggesting the pilot was struggling to maintain flight. Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle captured the aircraft entering a steep, right-hand descending turn before disappearing from view.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and the engine components. The engine, a Continental TSIO-520-NBcUB, was sent to a facility in Alabama for a teardown. The examination found no mechanical anomalies in the internal engine components, the fuel pump, or the turbocharger that would have prevented normal operation. The propeller assembly also showed no evidence of mechanical malfunction, though damage was consistent with the engine being at power during impact.
Analysis of the aircraft's weight and balance indicated that the calculated gross weight of approximately 3,853 lbs was near or above the maximum allowable limits. Furthermore, weight and balance calculations suggested the center of gravity may have been outside the approved forward envelope. The investigation also noted that the density altitude at the time of the accident was approximately 5,514 feet, which would have adversely affected takeoff and climb performance.