Accident Brief: Beechcraft 36 Bonanza Crashes On Takeoff In Texas

The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll and while the airplane was about 60 knots, it lifted off in a nosehigh attitude, and the stall warning horn actuated. He added that, about 20 ft above ground level, the airplane rotated to the right, but he overcorrected, and the left wingtip struck the runway. Shortly after, he landed the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the elevator trim was set to nose high and that he should have used a pretakeoff checklist to verify that the elevator trim was set to the takeoff position.

Probable cause(s): The pilot's improper pitch trim setting during takeoff in a left quartering tailwind, which resulted in the airplane abruptly pitching up and subsequently experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow a preflight checklist and verify that the elevator trim tab was in the takeoff position.

NOTE: The report republished here is from the NTSB and printed verbatim and in its complete form.

Isabel GoyerWriter