NTSB Identification: CEN12LA649
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, September 19, 2012 in Tell City, IN
Aircraft: Beechcraft A23-24, registration: N3629Q
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 19, 2012, about 0910 central daylight time, a Beechcraft model A23-24 airplane, N3629Q, was substantially damaged during an aborted landing at Perry County Municipal Airport (KTEL), Tell City, Indiana. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated from Breckinridge County Airport (I93), Hardinsburg, Kentucky, about 0900.

The pilot reported that he made a straight-in approach to runway 31 (4,400 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) after a short flight of about 10 minutes. He stated that there was no appreciable wind during the landing attempt with the wing flaps fully extended. He reported the airplane landed about 1/3 down the runway. After touchdown he retracted the wing flaps and applied brake pressure in an attempt to slow the airplane. He reported that the airplane did not decelerate normally during the landing roll because of the downslope of the runway. The pilot stated that although there were no anomalies with the airplane’s brake system he elected to abort the landing. His intention was to return and land on runway 13 in order to take advantage of the runway’s upslope. He reported that as the airplane passed midfield he increased engine power for the aborted landing and that the engine was operating normally at takeoff power. He stated that although the airplane accelerated to liftoff speed while still on the runway, it did not clear a 10-foot high airport security fence located off the end of the runway. Both wings were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot noted that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Additionally, although he did not use maximum braking during the landing attempt, the brakes had functioned normally while taxiing and during an engine run-up at the departure airport.

A postaccident examination of the runway overrun area showed tire tracks consistent with the tire width of the accident airplane. The airplane impacted a chain-link fence located about 340 feet off the end of the runway. The airplane continued another 30 feet before coming to rest with the chain-link fence entangled around the nose landing gear. The postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airplane brake system that would have prevented normal operation.

The closest weather observing station was located at the Huntingburg Airport (KHNB), about 21 miles northwest of the accident site. At 0915, the KHNB automated surface observing system reported the following weather conditions: wind 160 degrees magnetic at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 14 degrees Celsius, dew point 07 degrees Celsius, altimeter setting 30.19 inches of mercury.

According to the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) for the Beechcraft model A23-24 airplane, the landing ground roll at maximum gross weight on a paved, level, and dry surfaced runway with no headwind and using maximum braking is about 750 feet. The POH does not provide landing distances for runways that have a downslope; however, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) research indicates that ground rolls increase 10-percent with a 2-percent downslope. According to available runway survey data, runway 31 at KTEL has a 1.3-percent downslope. Therefore, the expected landing roll distance without a headwind and using maximum braking is less than 825 feet. CAA research also indicates that ground rolls increase 20-percent with a tailwind of 10-percent the takeoff speed. The POH lists a liftoff speed of 65 knots. A tailwind of 6.5 knots would increase the landing distance by about 165 feet. Therefore, the calculated landing ground roll on a 2-percent runway downslope, with a 6.5 knot tailwind, and using maximum braking would be less than 1,000 feet.

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