Event LAX94LA338

Factual narrative

On August 21, 1994, at 1325 Pacific daylight time, a Beech A36, N36DY, overran the runway departure end and collided with a fence during a rejected takeoff at South Lake Tahoe, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and included a calculated density altitude of 8,700 feet. The aircraft sustained substantial wing damage. The certificated private pilot and the four passengers on board were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident as a personal cross-country flight to Watsonville, California. In his written statement, the pilot reported that just after lift-off from runway 18 at 50 feet he encountered a windshear condition and a downdraft. Concurrent with the windshear condition, the stall warning horn activated and the aircraft ceased to climb. The pilot stated that he lowered the nose and tried one more time to achieve a safe gear and flap retraction speed, and to obtain a positive climb rate. The pilot said he was concerned about the ability of the aircraft to climb over trees and higher terrain beyond the end of the runway and aborted the takeoff. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft prior to overrunning the departure end of the 8,544-foot-long runway and colliding with an airport boundary fence. The winds were from 290 degrees at 9 knots. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF FROM RUNWAY 18 AT 50 FEET HE ENCOUNTERED A WINDSHEAR CONDITION AND A DOWNDRAFT. CONCURRENT WITH THE WINDSHEAR CONDITION, THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED AND THE AIRCRAFT CEASED TO CLIMB. THE PILOT SAID HE TRIED ONCE MORE TO GET THE AIRCRAFT TO ACCELERATE TO A SAFE GEAR AND FLAP RETRACTION SPEED AND CLIMB; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE ABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT TO CLIMB OVER TREES AND HIGHER TERRAIN BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT PRIOR TO OVERRUNNING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 8,544-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY AND COLLIDING WITH AN AIRPORT BOUNDARY FENCE. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE FOR THE TAKEOFF IN A 90-DEGREE CROSSWIND CONDITION WAS COMPUTED AT 8,700 FEET. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12