Aircraft: Beechcraft Duke. Injuries: 3 Fatal. Location: Sedona, Ariz. Aircraft damage: Destroyed.
What reportedly happened: According to several witnesses, the airplane appeared to be having difficulty accelerating for takeoff. It did not liftoff. It continued down the 5,132-foot runway, went off the end of the runway and down a steep slope where it crashed and burned.
The post-accident examination of the area at the end of the runway revealed two distinct tire tracks, both of which crossed the asphalt and dirt overrun of 175 feet.
A review of the airplane’s weight and balance and performance data revealed that it was within its maximum gross takeoff weight and center of gravity limits.
At the time of the accident, the density altitude was calculated to be 7,100 feet; the airport’s elevation is 4,830 feet. According to the performance charts in the Pilot’s Operation Handbook for the airplane, it should have lifted off 2,805 feet down the runway. The distance to accelerate to takeoff speed and then to safely abort the takeoff and stop the airplane was calculated to be 4,900 feet.
Investigators could not determine if the pilot completed performance calculations accounting for the density altitude.
No conclusive evidence was found to explain why the airplane did not rotate or why the pilot did not abort the takeoff once reaching the point to safely stop the airplane.
Probable cause: The airplane’s failure to rotate and the pilot’s failure to reject the takeoff, which resulted in a runway overrun for reasons that could not be undetermined.
NTSB Identification: WPR12FA326
This July 2012 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.