Beechcraft B200 N726CB

Summary

On 16 September 2009 at about 19:15 local time, a Beechcraft B200 registered N726CB, operated by Henry Broadcasting Nevada Inc., was involved in an accident near Hayward, California, 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

16 September 2009 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Hayward, California, United States

Nearest airport

Hayward Executive (HWD)

Coordinates

37.6194, -122.1104

Aircraft

Beechcraft B200

Registration

N726CB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Henry Broadcasting Nevada Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hayward → San Carlos

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA451

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight and failure to follow the airplane manufacturer's checklist to ensure that the rudder trim control and right propeller control lever were positioned correctly.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane just had undergone a routine maintenance and this was planned to be the first flight after the inspection. During the initial climb, the pilot observed that the airplane was drifting to the left. The pilot attempted to counteract the drift by application of right aileron and right rudder, but the airplane continued to the left. The pilot reported that, despite having both hands on the control yoke, he could not maintain directional control and the airplane collided into a building. The airplane subsequently came to rest on railroad tracks adjacent to the airport perimeter. A post accident examination revealed that the elevator trim wheel was located in the 9-degree NOSE UP position; normal takeoff range setting is between 2 and 3 degrees NOSE UP. The rudder trim control knob was found in the full left position and the right propeller lever was found about one-half inch forward of the FEATHER position; these control inputs both resulted in the airplane yawing to the left. The pilot did not adequately follow the airplane manufacturer's checklist during the preflight, taxi, and before takeoff, which resulted in the airplane not being configured correctly for takeoff. This incorrect configuration led to the loss of directional control immediately after rotation. A post accident examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.