No fatalities

27 Oct 2019: Beech A36 — Le Roy, NY

Le Roy, NY, United States

On 27 Oct 2019, a Beech A36 was involved in an aviation accident near Le Roy, NY. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's improper pitch control during takeoff in high, gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway overrun and the nose landing gear collapsing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During takeoff from runway 28, an airplane ascended early in ground effect, then descended and bounced. It overran the runway, encountering a wind gust, and came to rest in grass with collapsed nose gear.

Flight History

The pilot reported that before beginning the takeoff roll, he increased the airplane's trim because, as he stated, "the tail feels like it is lifting ahead of the nose when not heavily loaded in the rear." During the takeoff roll, at about 73 knots and 1,800 feet down the runway, the airplane ascended. While still in ground effect, the pilot applied forward yoke pressure to increase airspeed. Approximately 1,000 feet further, he noticed the airspeed was 75 knots and recalled that all gauges appeared within normal limits.

The airplane then descended back to the runway at about 74 knots, resulting in a bounce. The airplane overran the runway, and the pilot pushed forward on the yoke in an attempt to level the aircraft. However, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left and touched down in the grass about 155 feet beyond the end of the runway. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to a stop.

Damage

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the engine mounts, elevator, and both wings.

Meteorological Information

According to the nearest METAR station, located 14 miles northeast of the accident site, around the time of the accident the wind was reported as from 260° at 17 knots, gusting to 30 knots. The pilot had taken off from runway 28.

Pilot Report

The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Contributing factors

PilotPitch control — Not attained/maintainedEffect on operation