Beechcraft B23 N6985Q

Summary

On 1 June 1995 at about 23:41 local time, a Beechcraft B23 registered N6985Q was involved in an accident near Mariposa, California, United States. One person was 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

1 June 1995 at 23:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Mariposa, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mariposa-Yosemite Airport (O68)

Coordinates

37.4899, -120.0000

Aircraft

Beechcraft B23

Registration

N6985Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA203

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's premature liftoff and his failure to attain and maintain sufficient airspeed during the intial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush back onto the runway. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control as the aircraft touched down again is also causal. A factor in the accident is the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON HIS FOURTH TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE 'QUIT FLYING, BOUNCED ACROSS MERIDIAN BETWEEN RUNWAY AND TAXIWAY, SLID ACROSS THE TAXIWAY AND STOPPED.' THE PILOT STATED THAT OBSERVERS AND WITNESSES TOLD HIM THAT THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE BACKFIRED AND IT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE THROTTLED BACK THEN FORWARD AGAIN. THE RESPONDING FAA INSPECTOR FOUND NO WITNESSES WHO GAVE A REPORT SIMILAR TO THE PILOT'S IMPRESSION. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE PILOT SAID HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT LIFT-OFF, VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TAXIWAY. DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER, THE NOSE GEAR, THE NOSE COWLING, LOWER ENGINE MOUNT, AND FIREWALL RESULTED. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT HIS FLIGHT TIME IN THE 90-DAY PERIOD PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAS FLOWN ONLY 7 HOURS SINCE AUGUST OF 1994. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE WAS EXAMINED BY AN AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DID NOT FIND ANY DISCREPANCY IN THE AIRFRAME OR THE ENGINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.