What happened
On July 29, 2006, a de Havilland DHC-6-100, registration N203E, crashed shortly after departing Sullivan Regional Airport in Missouri. The aircraft, operated by Skydive Quantum Leap, was performing local parachute operations. During the takeoff roll on runway 24, the pilot utilized only a portion of the available runway length, beginning the roll approximately 1,700 feet from the western end of the 4,500-foot runway.
As the aircraft climbed to an altitude estimated between treetop height and 150 feet, witnesses observed flames and smoke emanating from the right engine. Some observers noted a loud noise and observed that the right propeller appeared to be barely rotating. Following the engine malfunction, the aircraft was seen flying at a very low altitude above the tree line. After a brief period of altitude fluctuation, the plane turned right and descended nose-first into the terrain. The impact occurred approximately half a mile northwest of the runway end, where the aircraft struck trees and came to a vertical rest. The accident resulted in six fatalities (the pilot and five parachutists) and two serious injuries among the passengers.
Findings
Evidence indicates the aircraft was operating under visual meteorological conditions with a moderate headwind present. A significant factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to initiate takeoff from a point mid-runway rather than utilizing the full length of the runway, which limited the available distance for the departure.