Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Meriden Markham Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Meriden, Connecticut 06450
Friday, May 24, 1996 16:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot initiated a downwind takeoff on runway 18 with two passengers aboard. He said that after a 600 foot ground run, he rotated the airplane for takeoff, and it climbed about 40 feet above the runway, then it stopped climbing and stopped accellerating. According to witnesses, the airplane entered a steep nose high attitude during takeoff, then after climbing briefly, the wings rocked (or wobbled) to the left and right. The pilot lowered the nose briefly and said he increased engine power '2 ticks into the yellow (arc).' He aborted the climb and attempted to land. After ground contact, the airplane veered off the runway. After stopping, a fire erupted, which resulted in further damage. The airplane's reciprocating engine had been replaced with an Allison 250-B17C, turbine engine per Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA3523NM, by Tradewind Turbines, Amarillo, TX. The wind was estimated to be from 350 degrees at 15 knots. The Pilot's Operating Handbook showed that a ground roll of 1,800 feet would have been required for the takeoff conditions. The airplane was estimated to be 76 pounds over its maximum takeoff weight and about 2 inches beyond the forward center of gravity (CG) limit (as listed in the STC). Also, the pilot did not use maximum power for takeoff as described in the STC.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper planning/decision, his failure to use takeoff power, and his premature lift-off of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/mush and subsequent collision with terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot allowing the airplane's maximum takeoff weight to be exceeded, and the tailwind.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/24/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | MERIDEN |
| Event State | CONNECTICUT |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 06450 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNICIPAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MMK |
| 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 | 103 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1645 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 40 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HFD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 19 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 20 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1100 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1554 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 24 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1830 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:01AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N59WW |
| NTSB Number | NYC96FA113 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | A36 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | E-2224 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3833 |
| 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 | Dec 24 1995 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 90 |
| Airframe Hours | 1352 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | NORMAN W. GAVIN |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 173 CHURCH STREET |
| Aircraft Owner City | YALESVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 06492 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | |
| Operator City | |
| Operator State | |
| Operator Country | |
| Operator Zip code | |
| 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 | MMK |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1639 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2B3 |
| Destination City | NEWPORT |
| Destination State | NH |
| 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 | 3100 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |