Beechcraft 65-A90 N983K

Summary

On 2 July 2000 at about 18:00 local time, a Beechcraft 65-A90 registered N983K, operated by Skydive Lake Wales, was involved in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida, United States. 7 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

2 July 2000 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Wales, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Lake Wales (X07)

Coordinates

27.8991, -81.5792

Aircraft

Beechcraft 65-A90

Registration

N983K

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Skydive Lake Wales

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA00LA205

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate visual lookout while maneuvering to avoid a flock of birds shortly after takeoff, resulting in the aircraft colliding with a wire. A factor in the accident was the pilot's fatigue after having worked everyday for the previous 3 weeks.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After takeoff the pilot raised the landing gear and then had to take evasive action to the right to avoid a flock of birds. As he performed the evasive maneuver, he raised the flaps. The aircraft was slow, and he kept the nose down to build up speed for the climb. Just as he was to commence the climb, he caught a glimpse of a wire ahead. He pulled up rapidly, but contacted the wire with the right wing. The wire broke. He entered downwind and landed on runway 6. The pilot stated that he was fatigued, frustrated, and disappointed after he had worked straight for the previous 3 weeks, and had been unable to get a day off.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.