Crash of a Beechcraft A36TC Bonanza near Lancaster Airport (LNS), Lititz, Pennsylvania (March 2025)

Описание: Loss of control in flight: Beechcraft A36TC Bonanza, N347M, accident occurred on March 9, 2025, near Lancaster Airport (LNS/KLNS), Lititz, Pennsylvania:

Location: Lititz, Pennsylvania
Accident Number: ERA25LA137
Date & Time: March 9, 2025, 15:30 Local
Registration: N347M
Aircraft: Beech A36TC
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Serious, 3 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On March 9, 2025, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36TC, N347M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lititz, Pennsylvania. The pilot and one passenger were seriously injured, and the other three passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that, during takeoff, he heard a loud “pop” and was unsure what it was. He pulled the throttle back, then realized that the cabin door had opened. He thought that he subsequently pushed the throttle forward but was not sure. He noticed that the airplane’s airspeed was not increasing and immediately looked for a place to land. A passenger stated that the front door opened as soon as the airplane left the ground. She stated that the pilot contacted the air traffic control tower and requested a return to the airport, and the front-seat passenger held the door closed. The airplane turned left and started “shaking” before it impacted the ground. A security camera captured the airplane departing the runway and turning left. As the airplane lost altitude in the turn, the wings were rocking back and forth, and the tail was low, consistent with a mush condition indicative of an impending aerodynamic stall. The airplane impacted the ground and a postimpact fire consumed most of the wreckage, including the cabin door.

Based on the circumstance of the accident, the pilot likely became distracted by the opening of the cabin door. Review of weight and balance information revealed that the airplane was loaded about 500 lbs above maximum gross takeoff weight, which would have increased its stall speed, reduced its climb performance, and adversely affected its control characteristics. It is likely that as a combined result of these factors, the pilot allowed the airplane’s airspeed to decay to a point where the airplane encountered an aerodynamic stall.

Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff due to his distraction by the opening of the cabin door, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall/mush condition at too low of an altitude to recover. Contributing to the accident was the airplane’s overweight condition, which increased its stall speed and adversely affected its control characteristics.

Report:
https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/ap...

Docket:
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectI...

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Timestamps:
00:00 - 01:13 - Video
01:13 - 01:28 - On-scene Photos
01:28 - 01:56 - NTSB Analysis and Pilot Information
01:56 - 02:22 - Interviews
02:22 - 02:33 - Weight and Balance Information
02:33 - 03:02 - NTSB Form 6120.1

#aviation #flying #ntsb #ntsbinvestigation #aviationaccident #aviationaccidents