Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lake Tahoe Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
So Lake Tahoe, California 96150
Sunday, May 13, 2001 16:50 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During the pretakeoff check, the pilot observed that a mechanical malfunction existed with the vernier control button on the throttle knob. It had partially unscrewed. The pilot attempted to remedy the situation by screwing the knob back into place, and then he commenced the takeoff. The airplane was loaded at or within 240 pounds of its certificated maximum gross weight, and the density altitude was about 7,700 feet. The airplane accelerated, lifted off the ground, and gained about 30 feet. The pilot had not received dual instruction in the airplane in high density altitude procedures, and he was not experienced in this type of operation. Believing that the rate of climb was inhibited due to a downdraft, and with the wings rocking back and forth on the verge of stalling, the pilot retracted the landing gear in an effort at increasing the climb rate. Still dissatisfied with the airplane's inability to climb, the pilot retarded the throttle to abort the takeoff. He then tried to lower the landing gear. When the pilot attempted to increase the throttle to provide more time for the gear to extend, the throttle control knob jammed due to the improperly secured screw. The airplane impacted the runway with partially extended landing gear, and slid to a stop about 1,500 feet before reaching its departure end.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper aircraft handling and decision to prematurely raise the landing gear during takeoff. Contributing factors were his lack of experience taking off under the high density altitude condition and his improper maintenance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/13/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1650 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | So Lake Tahoe |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 96150 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 385338N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1195943W |
| Event Location Airport | 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 | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6264 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1653 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | TVL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6264 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 7700 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KTVL 132353Z AUTO 21008KT 050V270 10SM CLR 17/01 A |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12007 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 13 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1700 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 15 2002 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | WP-FSDO Reno, NV |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N464SR |
| NTSB Number | LAX01LA177 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | E33A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CE-275 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 18 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 38 |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Calwest Investment Group LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3293 Crownview Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Rancho Palos Verdes |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90275 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | South Bay Aviation, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3201 Airport Drive |
| Operator City | Torrance |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 90505 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TVL |
| Departure City | So Lake Tahoe |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1649 |
| Departure Time Zone | TN |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RHV |
| Destination City | SAN JOSE |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - aborted |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 18 2002 1:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | COOS |
| 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 | -- |