ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 224001
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| Date: | Friday 5 October 2018 |
| Time: | 11:30 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft B55 Baron |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N6674Y |
| MSN: | TE-1168 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5414 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-CB |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | San Antonio, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT) |
| San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that, the day before the accident flight, he had flown the airplane and wanted to become more comfortable with new instruments that had been installed. So, after the flight, while in a hangar, he and a friend turned the airplane’s electrical power on to familiarize the pilot with the autopilot system and specifically with how it would follow heading bug settings. During the familiarization, they “ran the [pitch] trim all the way up.”
The pilot added that, before takeoff for the accident flight, he did not check the pitch trim setting because he believed it would be the same as his previous flight, instead of the pitch trim setting after his autopilot ground familiarization. He added that, during takeoff, the nose pitched up severely. He lowered the nose, and the airplane entered a negative G condition. He realized that he “did not latch the seat belt very good” and saw that his seatbelt had disconnected and that he was no longer in his seat and could not regain airplane control. The airplane struck the runway, porpoised, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded and struck a taxiway light.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the vertical trim tab was in the full-down position, indicating that full nose-up trim was applied.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both engines and the fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The Pilot’s Operating Handbook checklist titled, “Before Takeoff,” stated:
Seat Belts and Shoulder Harnesses – CHECK… 15. Trim – AS REQUIRED FOR TAKE-OFF
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper takeoff trim setting and failure to properly secure his seatbelt, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the Before Takeoff checklist.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Apr-2019 14:44 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
| 06-Jun-2023 06:08 | Ron Averes | Updated |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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