South Lake Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

So. Lake Tahoe, California 96151
Sunday, August 21, 1994 13:25 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff when the performance deficiency first became apparent.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/21/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SO. LAKE TAHOE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96151
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TVL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6264
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1326 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID TVL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6264
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 832
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 24 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:01PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36DY
NTSB Number LAX94LA338
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E-340
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 4 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 4794
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER K. WEISER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4901 HIGHWAY 9
Aircraft Owner City FELTON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95018
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETER K. WEISER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4901 HIGHWAY 9
Operator City FELTON
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95018
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TVL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1325
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code WVI
Destination City WATSONVILLE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 8544
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --