Beechcraft A36 N1778W

Summary

On 19 June 1989 at about 20:30 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N1778W was involved in an accident near South Lake Taho, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 June 1989 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

South Lake Taho, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Tahoe (TVL)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N1778W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Palo Alto

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89FA141

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FALURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AFTER TAKEOFF DUE TO DIVERTED ATTENTION TOWARD AN OPEN ACFT DOOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT ABORTED THE FIRST TAKEOFF ATTEMPT DUE TO THE DOOR OPENING. ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT THE ACFT CLIMBED TO APRX 300 FT, TURNED 90 DEGS LEFT THEN BACK TO THE RWY HEADING. THE NOSE DESCENDED AND THE ACFT IMPACTED A FIELD IN A VERTICAL DIVE. FIRE BEGAN APX 15 SECONDS FOLLOWING IMPACT AND THE ACFT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE CABIN DOOR TO HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT AT IMPACT AND THE TOP LATCH, A 'J' HOOK, WAS FRACTURED AND MISSING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.