Lake Elmo Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Elmo, Minnesota 55042
Thursday, October 2, 1997 6:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the airplane lifted off at 70 knots. After accelerating in ground effect the airplane became 'unstable in the roll axis' so he added power. He reported that the left wing tip contacted the runway approximately 3/4 the way down the runway. The pilot then added additional power at which point the left wing contacted the grass off the left side of the departure end of the runway. The pilot then reduced the power to idle and landed the airplane in the grass collapsing the landing gear. The pilot reported that the engines sounded normal throughout the accident sequence. Investigation revealed another Beech 18 had taken off on the same runway, but in the opposite direction of N916TM less than one minute prior to the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure identify the unsafe condition (vortex turbulence) which existed due to departing airplane and his subsequent inability to control the airplane once encountering the turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 605
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAKE ELMO
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55042
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAKE ELMO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 21D
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 932
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID STP
Elevation of weather observation facility 705
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 830
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1135
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N916TM
NTSB Number CHI98LA003
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 E18S
Aircraft Series Identifier E18S
Aircraft Serial Number BA337
Certified Max Gross Weight 10100
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 10530
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT R. MICHAELS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RR 3, BOX 236
Aircraft Owner City NEW BOSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75570
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MAY AIR XPRESS
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 Yes - certificate holder
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 21D
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 605
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MSP
Destination City MINNEAPOLIS
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 3250
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --