Weaverville/Pool Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Weaverville, California 96093
Sunday, August 5, 2001 14:15 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to ground witnesses at the airport, the pilot departed uphill on runway 36 into rising terrain, and collided with trees just beyond the runway's departure end. Runway 36 is 2,980 feet in length with a 50-foot pavement width, and has a 3.5 percent uphill gradient with steeper rising terrain to the north of the airport. An airport warning sign states in red "This R/W Closed for takeoff use R/W 18." On the day of the accident, the pilot contacted the FAA Rancho Murieta Automated Flight Service Station at 0823. The pilot questioned the briefer about the takeoff procedure and an "X" that was marked on the runway. A discussion ensued, and the briefer told the pilot to takeoff on runway 36 (uphill), contrary to the intent of signage at the airport and FAA Airport/Facility Directory remarks. According to the briefer, his source of information for questions relating to airport procedures and operations came from the FAA Airport/Facility Directory. The entry for the airport in the FAA Airport/Facility Directory was examined. The first portion of the entry stated: "Airport closed to touch and go; go arounds; takeoff from runway 36 and landings on runway 18." Toward the end of the entry following some intervening information another note stated: "Land runway 36 takeoff runway 18 due to steep 3.5 percent uphill airport gradient and steeper rising terrain to the north." The maximum gross weight of the airplane is 3,850 pounds. Based on known and estimated weights, the weight of the airplane at the time of the accident was about 3,939.0 pounds, or 89 pounds above the maximum takeoff weight. According to the POH and best available information, the airplane would have required 3,750 feet of level, paved, and dry runway surface for takeoff with zero flaps to clear a 50-foot obstacle at the end. Witnesses at the airport estimated that the temperatures were in the mid 90's to over 100 degrees, and the wind was out of the south. Based on information provided by the witnesses, the density altitude was estimated between 4,000 and 4,800 feet mean sea level (msl).

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's selection of the wrong runway, which resulted in an attempted takeoff uphill in a prevailing tailwind toward rising terrain and high obstacles. Also causal was the pilot's loading of the airplane above maximum gross weight and his failure to properly interpret the aircraft performance charts, which showed the airplane required more runway and distance to clear a 50-foot obstacle than existed for the ambient conditions. Factors in the accident were the high density altitude and the confusing and contradictory information in the Airport Facility Directory.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2001
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Weaverville
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96093
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 404444N
Event Location Longitude 1225519W
Event Location Airport Weaverville/Pool
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 054
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 2250
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1356 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID RBL
Elevation of weather observation facility 349
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 48
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 14
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 4846
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14300
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Aug 5 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-FSDO SACRAMENTO, CA

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1109T
NTSB Number LAX01FA270
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model B36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number EA-599
Certified Max Gross Weight 3850
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 485
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Mark Sajjadi
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City San Jose
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95112
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 054
Departure City Weaverville
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1413
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJC
Destination City San Jose
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 11 2003 5:33PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 2980
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --