Beechcraft 35 N4577V

Summary

On 5 August 2009 at about 22:50 local time, a Beechcraft 35 registered N4577V, operated by McCollum James Harold, was involved in an accident near St. Johns, Arizona, 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

5 August 2009 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Johns, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

St. Johns Industrial Airpark (SJN)

Coordinates

34.5186, -109.3789

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35

Registration

N4577V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

McCollum James Harold

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Johns → El Cajon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09CA387

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the crosswind gust and failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the gusty crosswind weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight made a fuel stop on a cross-country flight. The pilot reported a left quartering headwind during the takeoff. He applied the proper crosswind control inputs and immediately after liftoff aligned the airplane into the wind to maintain a ground track over the runway centerline. The pilot said a wind gust from the left affected the airplane, resulting in the left wing rising and the airplane banking to the right. Subsequently, the right wing, the empennage, and the right main landing gear touched down and the airplane exited the runway to the right. The airplane continued down an embankment, impacting a chain link airport perimeter fence. The airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed structural damage to left and right wings, the left landing gear assembly, fuselage, and empennage. The on-field weather station recorded the wind at the time of departure as 50 degrees left of the runway heading at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.