Yeager Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Charleston, West Virginia 25301
Wednesday, September 8, 2004 7:04 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was departing on a wet runway. About halfway down the runway, during rotation, the left nose cargo door opened. The pilot aborted the takeoff, but the airplane traveled off the end of the runway and struck an embankment. Review of the airplane information manual revealed that an open cargo door would not strike the propeller or cause any unusual handling characteristics; and that a takeoff with an open cargo door could be successfully completed. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical discrepancies, nor did the pilot report any.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper decision to abort the takeoff with insufficient runway remaining. A factor was the wet runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/2004
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 704
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Charleston
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25301
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 382223N
Event Location Longitude 0813535W
Event Location Airport Yeager Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRW
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 714 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CRW
Elevation of weather observation facility 981
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.8
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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) 16778
NTSB Notification Source Eastern Region Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2004 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5774C
NTSB Number NYC04CA207
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 402C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 402C0039
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Race City Air
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Concord
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 SO33
Owner has at least one certificate --
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CRW
Departure City Charleston
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 704
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ORF
Destination City Norfolk
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2004 9:49AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 4751
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --