DEN06LA126

Factual narrative

On September 11, 2006, approximately 1610 eastern daylight time, a Beech 77, N3818M, piloted by a student pilot, was destroyed when the engine lost power during takeoff and the airplane struck terrain at Suwannee County Airport (24J), Live Oak, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The student pilot was seriously injured. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The flight instructor said the student pilot preflighted the airplane and taxied it to the fuel pump, where the instructor topped it off with 21.4 gallons of fuel. The student pilot then taxied to runway 07, did an engine runup, and took off. He made at "at least" one touch-and-go landing. When the instructor noticed the airplane again, "the nose of the airplane dip[ped] twice over the last third of the runway before [the student] turned the plane to the left in an attempt to return to the runway." When the instructor arrived at the accident site, he turned off the fuel selector, battery switch, and magnetos. Police, fire and rescue personnel were dispatched at 1613. Another witness, who was only 100 to 150 feet from the accident site, said he heard the engine "spit and sputter." Power was restored for approximately 2 to 3 seconds, then the engine "spit and sputtered 3 to 4 times again, then there was no sound at all." The airplane banked to the left, lost [altitude], then [nosed into the ground]." The student pilot later confirmed that the engine had lost power shortly after he took off. An FAA inspector responded the accident site and reported finding the airplane about 300 feet to the left side of the runway and abeam the threshold. He said the flaps were retracted, and the throttle and mixture control were full forward. The fuel selector was on the left tank, and residual fuel was leaking from the compromised left fuel tank. The right fuel tank, which was intact, was empty. On September 20, a representative of Textron Lycoming disassembled and examined the engine under FAA auspices. Internal gear and valve train continuity was confirmed. The electrical, fuel, lubrication and exhaust systems were also disassembled and examined. No anomalies were noted. Numerous requests were made of the student pilot and his father to submit NTSB Form 6120.1/2, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Report. The report was never received. The flight instructor said the student pilot preflighted the airplane and taxied it to the fuel pump, where the instructor topped it off with 21.4 gallons of fuel. The student pilot then taxied to runway 07, did an engine runup, and took off. He made at "at least" one touch-and-go landing. When the instructor noticed the airplane again, "the nose of the airplane dip[ped] twice over the last third of the runway before [the student] turned the plane to the left in an attempt to return to the runway." Another witness said he heard the engine "spit and sputter." Power was restored for approximately 2 to 3 seconds, then the engine "spit and sputtered 3 to 4 times again, then there was no sound at all." The airplane banked to the left, lost [altitude], then [nosed into the ground]." The student pilot later confirmed that the engine had lost power shortly after he took off. The fuel selector was on the left tank, and fuel was leaking from the compromised fuel tanks. The engine was later disassembled and examined. Internal gear and valve train continuity was confirmed. The electrical, fuel, lubrication and exhaust systems were also disassembled and examined. No anomalies were noted. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12