Chatham Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chatham, Massachusetts 02633
Thursday, November 27, 1997 11:40 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the passengers, the airplane landed on Runway 24. The wind 'affected the airplane,' and the pilot aborted the landing. The initial climb was normal, and the engine produced maximum power. Then, an 'unknown force slam[med] the left wing down,' and the airplane rolled approximately 90 degrees. The airplane descended toward a pond and impacted trees. One of the passengers heard the stall warning horn after the upset, but said she did not feel a stall; it was 'more of a violent down draft forcing the left wing down.' Several witnesses reported observing the airplane at the departure end of Runway 24 in a climb, just above the trees, when it banked 90 degrees left and descended into the trees. The witnesses also reported hearing the engine, and stated that it sounded loud. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 290 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 33 knots, with a peak gust of 42 knots. Examination of the airplane and engine did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during initial climb which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact into trees. Related factors were high wind and turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1140
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City CHATHAM
Event State MASSACHUSETTS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 02633
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHATHAM MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CQX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 223
Airport Elevation 68
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1152 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CQX
Elevation of weather observation facility 68
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 33
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1845
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5667K
NTSB Number NYC98FA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model BE-S35
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-S35
Aircraft Serial Number D-7598
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 19
Airframe Hours 5891
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHARD E DUNNE III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1910 GREENSPRING VALLEY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LUTHERVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21093
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 No
Departure Airport Code MTN
Departure City BALTIMORE
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CQX
Destination City
Destination State MA
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 24
Runway Length 3001
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --