6 fatalities

1975-11-04: Beechcraft 90 King Air (N221MJ) — McJunkin Corporation — Charleston-Yaeger (Kanawha), United States of America

Charleston-Yaeger (Kanawha), United States of AmericaTakeoff (climb)

On November 4, 1975, a Beechcraft 90 King Air (registration N221MJ) operated by McJunkin Corporation was involved in an aviation accident near Charleston-Yaeger (Kanawha), United States of America during takeoff. 6 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The crash was caused by an engine failure for unknown reasons, compounded by a delay in executing an aborted takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 8 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 1781229715Data APIEditorial standards

An aircraft crashed into a wooded area following an engine failure during the takeoff phase, resulting in no survivors.

What happened

During the initial climb immediately following liftoff, the aircraft experienced a mechanical failure in one of its engines. This loss of power led to a significant reduction in altitude, making it impossible for the crew to maintain flight. The aircraft subsequently descended into a wooded area located downslope from a dirt embankment, where it impacted the ground and caught fire.

The impact resulted in the total destruction of the aircraft. There were six fatalities among the occupants, with no survivors reported from the crash site.

Findings

Investigations into the accident identified a failure within the powerplant as the primary driver of the event. The loss of engine performance occurred during a critical phase of flight. Additionally, investigators noted that there was a delay in the crew's attempt to abort the takeoff sequence once the malfunction became apparent.

Probable cause

The crash was caused by an engine failure for unknown reasons, compounded by a delay in executing an aborted takeoff.