Beechcraft BE-19 N5102R

Summary

On 30 October 1996 at about 16:15 local time, a Beechcraft BE-19 registered N5102R was involved in an accident near McKinney, Texas, 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

30 October 1996 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

McKinney, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

McKinney Municipal (TK1)

Coordinates

33.1798, -96.5899

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-19

Registration

N5102R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97LA031

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, by selecting a seat/cushion that would not allow adequate knee clearance and ankle movement in the cockpit, which was subsequently attributed to the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was endorsed for repeated solo flights and was performing a touch-and-go landing on runway 17. He reported that on final approach, he maintained an airspeed of 70 to 75 knots with full flaps, and that the approach path followed the VASI. He said that while landing, the airplane touched down about midfield, and subsequently, with all 3 wheels on the runway, he retracted the flaps, pushed the carburetor heat to 'COLD,' and reached for the throttle to apply power for the departure. The student pilot stated that at this point, 'the airplane brakes were binding, the airplane exited the left side of the runway, continued through the grass, and stopped after the left wing struck a tree.' An FAA inspector, who examined the accident site, found that the student was using a personal fold-up seat/cushion that was about 5 inches thick. During the investigation, the inspector had the student pilot sit in the airplane. The inspector observed that the 'extra height caused his knees to contact the lower part of the instrument panel and hindered his ankle movement for proper rudder and brake action.' The inspector did not find 'any evidence of brake problems.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.