Beechcraft B24R N2521W

Summary

On 19 August 1997 at about 01:50 local time, a Beechcraft B24R registered N2521W, operated by Abilene Aero, was involved in an accident near Albany, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 August 1997 at 01:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Albany, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Albany Municipal (T23)

Coordinates

32.7194, -99.2909

Aircraft

Beechcraft B24R

Registration

N2521W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Abilene Aero

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Abilene → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

FTW97FA313

2 people died.

The flight instructor's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff/initial climb. A factor was the flight instructor's lack of experience in the make and model of aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the night instructional flight in which a steep climb was initiated after takeoff, the aircraft descended near vertical, impacted trees and terrain. A post impact fire and explosion ensued. Witnesses reported that the airplane lifted off the runway, accelerated as it remained in ground effect, and near the departure end of the runway, climbed in a vertical attitude, banked, and then descended. Local authorities and the flight instructor's students had previously observed the flight instructor perform this maneuver in single-engine high-wing aircraft. The flight instructor had 17.1 hours in this low wing single engine aircraft including one night flight (1.5 hours) with takeoffs and landings. Physical evidence at the site indicated that the airplane impacted the ground in a nose low attitude in a left bank. The gear and flaps were in the retracted configuration. No evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies were found. Flight control continuity was established. The stabilator up cable was found severed due to arcing and tensile overload.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.