Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10 N20AZ

Summary

On 21 August 1990 at about 21:50 local time, a Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10 registered N20AZ, operated by Peachtree Dekalb Flight Acdmy, was involved in an accident near Ada, Oklahoma, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 August 1990 at 21:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Ada, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Ada Muni (ADH)

Coordinates

34.7707, -96.6609

Aircraft

Aerospatiale/Socata TB-10

Registration

N20AZ

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Peachtree Dekalb Flight Acdmy

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Little Rock

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90FA160

4 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR A CLIMB PROFILE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT ALLOWED THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT TO EXCEED THE CERTIFIED LIMITS, HIS USE OF EXCESSIVE FLAPS AND IMPROPER LEANING OF THE MIXTURE FOR TAKEOFF, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF FROM THE RUNWAY ABRUPTLY, BUT IT NEVER GAIN MORE THAN ABOUT 50 TO 75 FT OF ALTITUDE, THOUGH A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WAS MAINTAINED. THEY ALSO STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF, THEY SAW BLACK & THEN GREY SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT TWO MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 97 DEGREES & THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 3500 FEET. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS OVERLOADED BY 228 LBS & THAT THE C.G. WAS ABOUT 0.69 INCHES AFT OF THE AFT LIMIT. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND EXTENDED ABOUT 25 DEGREES; THE RECOMMENDED FLAP SETTING FOR TAKEOFF WAS 15 DEGREES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.