IAD96LA102

Factual narrative

On June 30, 1996, at 1240 eastern daylight time, a Beech 65, N3870C, was destroyed when it ran off the end of the runway and collided with a fence and terrain during an attempted takeoff from Taylor County Airport (AAS), in Campbellsville, Kentucky. The commercial rated pilot and two of the three passengers received serious injuries. The third passenger sustained no injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact and postimpact fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane "...was unable to get airborne..." during the takeoff roll. The FAA Inspector stated that after traveling the full length of the 4997 foot runway, the airplane ran off the departure end of runway 05 and continued approximately 2257 feet through an open field, a fence, a corn field and into a depression where it impacted terrain and came to rest. He reported that the aircraft engines separated from the airframe and the fuselage was destroyed by a post crash fire. The pilot said that while performing pre-takeoff checks he was interrupted by one of the passengers on board the aircraft. He reported, "After the interruption I failed to complete all the pre-takeoff steps [and] gust lock pin was not removed. Power was applied [and] takeoff speed was attained. When I attempted to rotate the A/C [aircraft], I found that the controls would not move. I attempted to remove the pin holding the controls, but was unsuccessful. The A/C [aircraft] went off the end of the runway through a fence and impacted an earthen berm that collapsed the gear [and] bladestrikes that stopped the engines." On scene examination of the accident site and the aircraft wreckage was performed by investigators from the FAA, the Campbellsville Police, the airframe manufacturer, and the aircraft engine manufacturer. According to one report, "No evidence of aircraft deceleration or braking was apparent up to the point of main landing gear collapse at the base of the first hill. Ground scars made by both propellers were found at the point of first ground impact ... Both propeller assemblies were found on the ground where they (impact) separated from the engines at the reduction gear case due to impact overload. Both propellers equally exhibited signs of absorbing high power on impact. Pronounced torsional blade bending, heavy leading edge nicks and gouges and tip damage was noted ... Examination of the pilots control wheel and shaft assembly revealed that the shaft support housing was fractured diagonally across the control lock pin hole location." According to the Owner's Manual (PN 65-001021-33A3), at maximum gross weight (7700 pounds), "Distance required to take- off and climb to 50 ft, flaps up, take-off power. Take-off speed: 95 mph (83kts.) TIAS." Altitude Outside Air Temperature Feet 0 F 25 F 50 F 75 F 100 F Sea Level 1363 1501 1645 1810 1962 2000 1496 1659 1814 1990 2166 According to a representative of the airplane manufacturer, using the Accelerate and Stop Distance chart from the Owner's Manual, "...the accelerate and stop distance ... determined from the chart at a gross weight of 7,700 pounds and under the following conditions: 1. With the Pressure Altitude at Sea Level and Outside Air Temperature at 100 F the Accelerate and Stop Distance computed to be 3630 feet. 2. With the Pressure Altitude at 2,000 feet MSL and Outside Air Temperature at 100 F the Accelerate and Stop Distance computed to be 3920." According to an FAA inspector, the airplane '...was unable to get airborne...' during the takeoff roll. He stated that after travelling the full length of the 4,997-foot runway, the airplane ran off the departure end of runway 5 and continued approximately 2,257 feet through an open field, a fence, a corn field and into a depression where it impacted terrain and came to rest. The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll he discovered that he had not removed the gust lock from the control column and that his attempts to remove it were unsuccessful. The pilot stated that the aircraft '...went off the end of the runway through a fence and impacted an earthen berm that collapsed the gear [and] bladestrikes that stopped the engines.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12