Tucson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tucson, Arizona 85706
Sunday, April 25, 1993 17:38 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE TWIN ENGINE AIRPLANE AND HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 123 TOTAL HOURS OF MULTI ENGINE TIME, WITH ABOUT 115 HOURS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. WITNESSES STATED THAT JUST AFTER ROTATION THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY AND ROTATED TO THE RIGHT IMPACTING THE GROUND ABOUT 2000 FEET BEYOND THE APPROXIMATE POINT OF ROTATION AND ABOUT 1500 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE AFT UTILITY DOORS WERE UNLATCHED, WITH THE AFT DOOR ROTATED REARWARD AGAINST THE FUSELAGE AND THE EXTENSION LIMITING HINGES SHEARED AT THE HINGE PIN. THE ELEVATOR TRIM TABS WERE FOUND IN THE LANDING CONFIGURATION WITH TAB DEFLECTIONS AT ABOUT 9 DEGREES DOWN. THE RUDDER TRIM TAB WAS FOUND 20 DEGREES LEFT DEFLECTION. BOTH ENGINES WERE REMOVED TO AN ENGINE OVERHAUL FACILITY FOR DETAILED EXAMINATION. NO MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND AND POWER AND ROTATION SIGNATURES WERE EVIDENT. THE AIRPLANE WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 11L FROM TAXIWAY 6 WITH A NINE KNOT TAILWIND AND 9950 FEET OF RUNWAY

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOTS IMPROPER PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, HIS FAILURE TO COMPELTELY SECURE THE AFT UTILITY DOOR, AND HIS FAILURE TO RECONFIGURE THE TRIM TABS TO A TAKEOFF SETTING. THE UTILITY DOOR'S SUDDEN OPENING JUST AFTER ROTATION AND THE EFFECT OF THE NOSE UP TRIM SETTING LED TO AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/25/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1738
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TUCSON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85706
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TUCSON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TUS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 2641
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1737 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID TUS
Elevation of weather observation facility 2641
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 475
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 25 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 51083
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N158WB
NTSB Number LAX93FA186
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 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-396
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 115
Airframe Hours 2310
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUPKOFF, JAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5040 N. VIA GELSOMINO
Aircraft Owner City SARATOGA
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85716
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAY M. SUPKOFF
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5040 N. VIA GELSOMINO
Operator City SARATOGA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85716
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1737
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJC
Destination City SAN JOSE
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 11
Runway Length 10994
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --