Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Jonesville, Virginia 24263
Monday, July 4, 2011 14:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that she was attempting to take off from a cow pasture. She landed the airplane in the pasture the previous day due to a loss of engine power. She reported that the loss of power was due to debris in the right fuel tank, which was subsequently removed by a mechanic. She measured the length of the field and found that it was shorter than is typically required, but elected to continue with the flight due to the downhill slope of the field. The owner of the pasture mowed a path for the takeoff and the pilot and her husband inspected the takeoff area for rocks and other obstructions. She also determined a "no-go" point on the ground in case the airplane did not accelerate adequately. She removed all unnecessary items from the airplane and prepared for takeoff. During the takeoff roll, the airplane did not accelerate as expected. She aborted the takeoff past the designated no-go point and was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with a fence post. The airplane caught fire as the pilot was exiting the cockpit. The airplane received structural damage to the left wing and fuselage and the pilot experienced second-degree burns. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the takeoff roll. Although she had previously practiced soft-field takeoffs on paved runways, she had no experience with actual soft-field takeoffs.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's delayed decision to abort the takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/4/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1445 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Jonesville |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24263 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 363900N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0831300W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1455 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | 1A6 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1154 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 25 |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | K1A6 041855Z AUTO 31003KT 10SM CLR 23/21 A3003 RMK |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28863 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 23 2011 10:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N37148 |
| NTSB Number | ERA11CA378 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | 77 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | WA-188 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1680 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 26 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 23 |
| Airframe Hours | 6225 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | THORBURN-GUNDLACH DAVID |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | ALPHARETTA |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30004-2830 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | THORBURN-GUNDLACH DAVID |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ALPHARETTA |
| Operator State | GA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 30004-2830 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | Jonesville |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | OVG |
| Destination City | Rose Hill |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 23 2011 10:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |