Brandywine Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Chester, Pennsylvania 19380
Monday, May 21, 2001 9:55 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the airspeed indicator would not exceed 65 knots during the takeoff roll. He aborted the takeoff, but the airplane continued off the end of the runway, and came to rest in a parking lot. An airspeed calibration test was performed, and the airspeed indicator read about 10 knots higher than the test equipment. Further examination of the system revealed that the pitot tube was blocked with a "corrosion-type material". The airspeed indicator was then removed from the airplane and bench tested. The indicator read about 4-5 knots higher than the test equipment. The most recent pitot-static system check was performed on March 14, 2001.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The partial blockage of the pitot/static system, which led to an inaccurate airspeed indication, and resulted in an aborted takeoff and runway overrun. A factor was the wet runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/2001
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 955
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City West Chester
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19380
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 395940N
Event Location Longitude 0753500W
Event Location Airport Brandywine Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID N99
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 466
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 954 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID PHL
Elevation of weather observation facility 38
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 900
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) -242
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13778
NTSB Notification Source EASTERN REGION COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date May 21 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2003 8:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Philadelphia FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4783M
NTSB Number IAD01LA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 55
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TE-1131
Certified Max Gross Weight 5324
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 May 3 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 2359
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name John Gustave
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Berwyn
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19312
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code N99
Departure City West Chester
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 955
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RDG
Destination City Reading
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 4 2002 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 3347
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --