NTSB Factual Report

On December 10, 2004, approximately 1150 central standard time, a twin-engine Beech BE-200 turbo-prop powered airplane, N648KA, was destroyed when it impacted trees following a loss of control during takeoff from the Rancho Buena Vista Airport (TS94), near Bay View, Texas. The airline transport pilot and five passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to RKO LLC, of Houston, Texas, and operated by a private individual doing business as Charter One of Houston, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 on-demand air charter flight. The cross-country flight was originating at the time of the accident and was destined for Houston, Texas.

The 5,800-hour pilot reported in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) that during takeoff roll on runway 23 (3,500 foot long by 100 foot wide grass runway), at an airspeed of approximately 95 knots, "the airplane yawed left and rolled left abruptly as the aircraft came off the ground briefly." The pilot stated that he applied full right rudder and leveled the wings as he slightly lowered the nose and the airplane settled back onto the ground, approximately 20 degrees left of the runway heading.

As the airplane approached a line of trees and tall grass, the pilot decided that stopping the airplane "was not an option," and "applied back pressure" to clear the trees. However, the landing gear struck the tree tops, and "the airplane stalled and came down in the tall grass, sliding sideways to the right and coming to rest upright." As the pilot and passengers were evacuating the airplane, the pilot observed fire coming from the right engine/wing area.

In a written statement, one of the passengers reported that during takeoff, "the pilot tried to lift off three times," and "it felt like the tail of the [air]plane hit the ground on the third try." The passenger also stated that they asked the pilot what speed he took off at, and recalled the pilot saying "80 knots." The passenger added that he "noticed the flaps were up during takeoff."

Examination of the airplane by local law enforcement personnel revealed the fuselage of the airplane was destroyed by fire forward of the empennage. The right propeller was separated from the right engine, and the three landing gears were separated from the airplane.

The airplane underwent its most recent 200-hour inspection on November 8, 2004, at an airframe total time of 6,532.5 hours. At the time of the accident, the airframe and engines had accumulated approximately 33 hours of flight time since its last inspection.

At 1153, the automated surface observing system at the Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport (PIL), located 5.6 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, reported wind from 010 degrees at 14 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 75 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 44 degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of Mercury.

Examination of the left and right Pratt and Whitney PT6A-41 engines were conducted on July 12 and 13, 2005, at the facilities of Pratt and Whitney Canada in St. Hubert, Quebec, Canada, under the supervision of the Transportation Safety Board of Canada. The results of this examination were as follows:

Examination of the left engine, serial number 81577, revealed that the reduction and accessory gearbox were destroyed by fire. The propeller shaft was fractured adjacent to the number five bearing, which was consistent with impact damage. The forward section of the shaft remained attached to the propeller hub. All of the reduction gearbox mounted controls and accessories were destroyed by fire. The exhaust duct displayed light compressional deformation around the underside of the duct. The gas generator case compressor housing displayed compressional deformation. The compressor inlet case and compressor bleed valves were consumed by fire. The fuel manifold was intact with fire damage.

The compressor spacers displayed circumferential rubbing consistent with radial contact with adjacent blade tips. The centrifugal impeller shroud face displayed circumferential rubbing consistent with contact to the impeller vane. A fine dirt mixture was observed within the combustion section. The first stage power turbine vane ring- airfoils remained intact. The upstream baffle face inner cup displayed rubbing consistent with contact with the compressor turbine hub. The downstream side baffle inner cup displayed circumferential rubbing concentrated around the upper circumference that had heat discoloration consistent with the first stage power turbine hub contact.

The first stage power turbine shroud displayed circumferential scoring around the upper circumference consistent with contact from the power turbine blade tips. The first stage power turbine blade tips displayed circumferential rubbing consistent with contacting the power turbine shroud. The second stage turbine vane ring abradable air seal displayed circumferential rubbing and scoring with heat discoloration and material transfer consistent with contacting the air seal rotor. The second stage power turbine shroud displayed circumferential scoring around the upper circumference consistent with contact with the second stage power turbine blade tips.

Examination of the right engine, serial number 81477, revealed that the reduction and accessory gearbox were destroyed by fire. The propeller shaft was fractured at the number five bearing, which was consistent with impact. The reduction gearbox mounted controls were intact on the forward portion of the housing. The exhaust duct displayed compressional deformation. The upper circumference was partially burned through. The gas generator compressor housing displayed compressional deformation. The compressor inlet and compressor bleed valves were destroyed by fire. The fuel manifold was intact, with fire damage.

The compressor turbine vane ring was intact. The downstream side inner drum displayed circumferential rubbing with heat discoloration, consistent with axial contact with the compressor turbine disc. The compressor turbine shroud remained intact. The blade platform downstream sides displayed circumferential rubbing consistent with contact with the compressor turbine blade tips. The compressor turbine blades displayed circumferential scoring. The first stage power turbine vane ring was found intact. The upstream baffle face and inner cup displayed rubbing consistent with contacting the compressor turbine hub. The downstream side baffle inner cup displayed circumferential rubbing around the upper circumference with head discoloration, and was found consistent with contacting the first stage power turbine hub.

The first stage power turbine shroud displayed circumferential scoring around the upper circumference, consistent with radial contact with the power turbine blade tips. The first stage power turbine blade tips displayed circumferential rubbing. The upstream side hub displayed circumferential scoring consistent with the radial contact with the interstage baffle. The upstream side blade platforms displayed circumferential scoring consistent with the axial contact with the first stage vane ring. The second stage power turbine vane ring remained intact. The abradable air seal displayed circumferential rubbing and scoring with heat discoloration and material transfer consistent with contacting the air seal rotor. The second stage power turbine shroud displayed circumferential scoring around the upper circumference consistent with contact with the second stage power turbine blade tips.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control as result of his improper runway selection for takeoff. A contributing factor was the prevailing right quartering tailwind.