Beechcraft C23 N60482

Summary

On 12 August 1989 at about 22:42 local time, a Beechcraft C23 registered N60482, operated by Woodland Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near S Lake Tahoe, California, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1989 at 22:42

Classification

Accident

Location

S Lake Tahoe, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Tahoe (TVL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft C23

Registration

N60482

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Woodland Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

S Lake Tahoe → Woodland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX89LA271

Nobody was injured.

THE AIRCRAFT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A DOWNDRAFT DURING TAKEOFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE RELATED TO THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION WHICH EXISTED AND THE AIRCRAFT'S DETERIORATED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND WAS COGNIZANT THAT A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITION EXISTED. DURING THE TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE RESPONDED IN CONCERT WITH THE PILOT'S EXPECTATIONS, AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN CLIMBING. AFTER PASSING OVER THE MIDFIELD LOCATION A DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THE AIRCRAFT'S AIRSPEED DECREASED FROM 80 TO 65 KNOTS. THE RUNWAY WAS 8544 FEET LONG, AND THE PILOT, BELIEVING THE AIRCRAFT WOULD LIKELY NOT OUTCLIMB THE HIGH TERRAIN SOUTH OF THE FIELD, DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL FLAPS, LOWERED THE NOSE AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY BY 100 YARDS AND COLLIDED WITH A BERM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.