Braxton County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sutton, West Virginia 26601
Friday, June 30, 2006 10:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After performing a preflight inspection of the airplane and taxiing to the end of the 4,000-foot long runway, the pilot began the takeoff roll. According to witnesses, before reaching the mid-point of the runway the airplane became airborne in a "tail low" pitch attitude. Shortly thereafter, the airplane banked and drifted left, over the grass, and then it banked and drifted right, but did not drift far enough to be back over the runway pavement. The airplane then began to "wobble" laterally, and "mush" or "stall" as it climbed out. The airplane subsequently struck trees located about 450 feet from the departure end of the runway in an approximate 30-degree left bank. The trees were 250 feet left of the runway centerline and 70 feet above the airport elevation. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any preimpact failures or malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during takeoff-initial climb to avoid a stall/mush. A factor associated with the accident was the inadvertent stall/mush.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/2006
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Sutton
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26601
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384049N
Event Location Longitude 0803907W
Event Location Airport Braxton County Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48I
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1275
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1040 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID W22
Elevation of weather observation facility 1275
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 21142
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2007 9:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Charleston FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6867T
NTSB Number NYC06FA162
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 310D
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 39167
Certified Max Gross Weight 4830
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4012
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Russell C. Ross
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sioux City
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 48I
Departure City Sutton
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PVG
Destination City Norforlk
Destination State VA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 13 2007 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record ANDJ
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --