Beechcraft A36TC N222HC

Summary

On 10 July 2021 at about 14:30 local time, a Beechcraft A36TC registered N222HC, operated by B L Aviation LLC, was involved in an accident near Chandler, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 3 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

10 July 2021 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Chandler, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chandler Municipal (CHD)

Coordinates

33.2654, -111.8211

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36TC

Registration

N222HC

Category

Airplane

Year built

1981

Engines

1

Operator

B L Aviation LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chandler → Sedona

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA287

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot’s delayed decision to abort the takeoff due to insufficient airspeed.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that before takeoff he calculated the airplane’s takeoff weight, which he determined to be near the maximum gross takeoff weight with a center of gravity (CG) on the forward edge of the CG envelope. The takeoff calculations assumed that the airplane could sufficiently clear a 50-ft obstacle during the takeoff ground roll. During the takeoff, the pilot reported that the engine sound and indications were normal for the takeoff roll but that acceleration was slightly slower and the ground roll longer than predicted. The pilot did not abort the takeoff because he thought that the slower acceleration and longer ground roll were related to the outside air temperature, which was about 91oF. After liftoff, the pilot kept the nose lowered to build airspeed. After the landing gear was retracted, the airplane did not accelerate or climb. The airspeed was getting slower, and the stall warning was activating intermittently. As the airplane neared the end of the runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff and landed the airplane just beyond the departure end of the runway in dirt. The airplane slid on its belly and subsequently collided with an airport fence. The wings were substantially damaged, and a postimpact fire ensued. Examination of the engine revealed no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the combination of a high gross airplane weight and a high outside temperature resulted in a ground roll that was longer than the pilot expected based on his takeoff calculations. By the time that the pilot aborted the takeoff, the airplane was operating at or near the stall speed and was thus not able to gain altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.