NTSB Factual Report

On September 7, 2009, at 1752 central daylight time, a Beech B36TC, N65873, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing to a taxiway at the Sullivan Regional Airport (UUV), Sullivan, Missouri. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing UUV with the Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS), Chesterfield, Missouri, as the intended destination. The pilot reported that during the initial climb, he experienced an abnormality in the flight controls and executed a downwind landing to a taxiway. The airplane veered off the taxiway and impacted the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.

The pilot reported that the airplane had just received its annual maintenance inspection and he was going to fly it back to SUS. He reported that the preflight and run-up were normal. The starting, after-starting, and before takeoff checklists were completed with no abnormal indications. He taxied the airplane onto runway 06 and added full power to commence the takeoff roll. He rotated the airplane at 80 knots with the airspeed indicator and all other instruments reading within the normal range. The pilot reported, “I was giving more back pressure than normal” and he felt a “heavy, nose down pressure.” The pilot considered landing immediately, but he determined there was insufficient runway remaining. He reported that the airplane gained altitude, but “the downward pressure continued to build.” The trim indicator showed 6 degrees nose up, which was the setting used for takeoff. The pilot reported that he engaged the electric trim switch, but it did not relieve the downward pressure.

The pilot decided to return to land on runway 06 so he banked left 30 degrees. He noticed the airspeed was about 85 knots, but the airspeed appeared to be dropping despite full power, level pitch, and the landing gear still down. He reported that the stall warning horn sounded midway through the turn, so he attempted to make a straight-in landing to runway 24. He reported, “I took out power, which forced the nose over further, so I put power back in, in order to make the runway.” The airplane crossed over runway 24 about mid-field so the pilot attempted to land on the parallel taxiway. The pilot reported, “Because of my angle, I could not make the runway but tried to make the taxiway.” He banked right to “straighten out the plane,” but the right wingtip “clipped” the pavement. The pilot reported that he applied full brakes and the airplane skidded off the taxiway with the nose gear collapsing as it came to a stop. The pilot reported that he thought the elevator trim indicator was inaccurate, and that the electric elevator trim and trim wheel malfunctioned.

A witness reported that the airplane owner had arrived about 1730 to pick up the airplane. After the owner fueled the airplane and completed all the before takeoff checks, he departed from runway 06. The first takeoff was aborted because of birds near the runway. The witness reported the second takeoff was proceeding normally until the airplane was about 300 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane leveled off and made a wide turn to the west before attempting to return and land on runway 24. The pilot made a radio call that he was going to land on the taxiway. The witness went to the accident site to assist the pilot after the accident occurred. He reported that the pilot entered the airplane to get his gear and he moved the elevator and elevator trim up and down.

Another witness reported that he observed the airplane as it returned to land on the taxiway. He reported that the airplane’s right wing touched down on the taxiway and bent up. He reported, “As the aircraft slid off the runway and down a ditch, the nose wheel collapsed and the engine stopped running. The aircraft slid several hundred feet sideways before coming to a stop between the taxiway and the runway.”

Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) went to the accident site to conduct an on-site inspection of the airplane and maintenance records. The examination of the accident site revealed propeller ground scars where the airplane skidded through the grass. The propeller blades were bent back at the base of the blades and they exhibited chordwise scratching and leading edge nicks. The elevator trim tab setting indicator showed a 1-degree nose down setting. The flaps were found in the up position.

The elevator and elevator trim systems were checked for continuity, proper operation, and proper direction of travel. The elevator had continuity and traveled from stop to stop. The elevator trim had continuity. The manual trim traveled up and down in the correct direction with no binding. The 0 degrees indication was verified to be correct. The elevator electric trim system was checked and it operated correctly up and down and in the correct direction.

The inspection of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane had a total of about 1,095 hours of operation. The FAA inspectors interviewed the mechanic who performed the annual maintenance inspection. The mechanic reported that he checked the operation of the elevator and elevator trim systems, but no problems were noted, so he performed no maintenance on either system. The aircraft logbooks, work order, and the 100-hour/annual inspection checklist used during the inspection were examined. There was no indication that any maintenance was performed on the elevator and elevator trim systems.

The 30-year-old pilot held a private pilot’s certificate with a single-engine land rating and an airplane instrument rating. He held a third-class medical certificate. He reported that he had about 340 total flight hours with 290 hours in make and model. The date of his last flight review was August 22, 2009.

The winds reported at the Rolla National Airport (VIH), located about 29 nautical miles west of the accident site, were 320 degrees at 4 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause

A loss of aircraft control for undetermined reasons.