Beechcraft C-45H N9772Z

Summary

On 14 July 1996 at about 16:50 local time, a Beechcraft C-45H registered N9772Z was involved in an accident near Marshall, Michigan, United States. 11 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

14 July 1996 at 16:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Marshall, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Brooks Field (5D8)

Coordinates

42.2601, -84.9505

Aircraft

Beechcraft C-45H

Registration

N9772Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI96LA243

Nobody was injured.

failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll, which resulted in an inadvertent ground swerve. The crosswind (quartering headwind) was a related factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the winds were from 260 degrees at 10 knots. During the takeoff roll on runway 28, at about 60 miles per hour, he 'began to bring the tail up for a wheel takeoff.... The airplane began to veer to the left.' He 'attempted to get the airplane straight with right rudder and right brake. The airplane ran off of the runway and ground looped on top of a hill.' The airplane sustained substantial damage to the aft fuselage and empennage. Examination of skid marks on the runway revealed that the right side skid mark was 'more pronounced' than the left side skid mark. No evidence of flight control or brake malfunction was discovered.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.