What happened
On August 27, 2020, at approximately 0630 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N1550G, was involved in a fatal accident during takeoff from a runway in Redding, California. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use. The accident resulted in 4 fatal injuries, claiming the lives of the pilot and three passengers.
A witness observing the runway reported that the aircraft began its takeoff roll on runway 33 but was not accelerating at a normal rate. The witness noted that the engine sounded as though it was producing full power and the propeller was at full RPM. During the roll, the aircraft rotated abruptly, lifted off slightly, and then settled back onto the runway, causing the nosewheel to descend. As the aircraft continued toward the end of the runway, it maintained a nose-high attitude at an estimated speed of 60 to 65 knots.
Security camera footage confirmed that the aircraft rotated approximately 700 feet from the departure end of the runway. The aircraft briefly became airborne about 310 feet from the end of the runway before settling back onto the pavement. The aircraft then exited the departure end of the runway and traveled down an embankment, where a post-impact fire occurred.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage of N155 and 0G, which was mostly consumed by fire. The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction that would have prevented normal operation.
Regarding the aircraft's configuration, the left flap actuator drive cable had separated from the motor, and the right flap actuator was separated from the wing, with the flaps positioned between 0 and 5 degrees. The fuel selector valve was in the right tank position.
Weight and balance calculations indicated the aircraft's gross weight was approximately 3,977 lbs. Depending on the specific seating configuration of the passengers, the center of gravity (CG) may have been within limits, or as much as 2 inches forward or 1.75 inches aft of the allowable CG envelope.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating at a gross weight of approximately 3,977 lbs, which was within the 4,000 lbs maximum gross weight allowed by the Whirlwind III turbonormalizing system STC.
- Based on the atmospheric conditions and weight, the aircraft would have required 1,978 feet for a takeoff with flaps retracted and no obstacle, or 3,558 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle.
- The pilot failed to recognize that the aircraft's takeoff performance was inadequate for the remaining runway length and failed to abort the takeoff, leading to the runway excursion.