A Beechcraft 200 Super King Air was flying from Marathon - Florida Keys to Orlando Apopka, Florida (USA), a 277 miles (443 km) VFR flight. After an uneventful flight, the aircraft was approaching Orlando Apopka's runway 15. Runway 15 is a 3987 feet long asphalt runway with an airport elevation of 150 feet.
The fire damaged right-hand engine, note the missing outer wing
(source baaa-acro.com © Unknown)
The nearest recorded weather from around the time that the aircraft approached Apopka was 14 nautical miles north-northwest from Apopka;
Wind - Light and variable
Visibility - 10 miles
Temp. - 34 ºC
Dew Pnt. - 22 ºC
QNH - 30.06 inHg
With the aircraft correctly configured for landing when the landing flare was initiated. Right at that time (according to the pilots' report) an unexpected crosswind pushed the aircraft to the right of the runway centerline. An attempt was made to abort the landing by applying full power, however, this attempt failed. The aircraft touched down in the grass adjacent to the runway and kept on deviating to the right.
Realising the go-around would not be successful the power levers were pulled to idle. Before the aircraft could be stopped the right wing impacted a tree and the right main landing gear and the nose landing gear collapsed. As the aircraft came to a stop a fire broke out.
The accident site, note the tire marks (Source baaa-acro.com © Unknown)
The pilot aircraft escaped without injury, the aircraft was written off as damaged beyond repair. An investigation by the NTSB was launched into the accident and found no evidence of pre-accident failures of the aircraft or its systems.
They determine the probable cause of the accident to be;
"The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during an attempted aborted landing in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and an impact with a tree."
The aircraft shortly after the accident (source baaa-acro.com © Unknown)
The NTSB report, on which this blog is based, is available for the readers' reference by clicking on the .pdf file below;
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