Beechcraft A36 N824C

Summary

On 26 June 2008 at about 23:00 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N824C was involved in an accident near Ryegate, Montana, United States. 3 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 2008 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ryegate, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Three Cross Ranch Airport (3MT3)

Coordinates

46.1314, -109.3750

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N824C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ryegate → Bozeman

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX08CA173

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff when the ground roll acceleration profile was determined to be insufficient for takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the shifting wind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that prior to departure he checked the weather and performed a preflight inspection. He observed the direction of the windsock, and stated that it favored a takeoff from runway 23. He completed an uneventful run-up, and began the takeoff roll. Halfway down the turf runway he observed the airplane's airspeed to be indicating 60 knots. He stated that at this point on the takeoff roll he expected the airspeed to have reached 70 knots. The airplane continued to accelerate to 65 knots, and with the end of the runway approaching, the pilot 'forced' the airplane airborne and retracted the landing gear. The airplane settled to the ground and then collided with trees at the end of the runway. The pilot observed the wind direction after the accident, and noted that it was out of the northeast. He opined that the airplane had encountered a sudden wind shift or downdraft during the takeoff roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.