Gainesville Regional Airport -- Beechcraft twin crashed on takeoff

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jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
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I was on the phone with my dad - he works for an FBO at Gainesville Regional...he just had another call come in -- apparently an aircraft crashed into the terminal and he had to go.

I have no details...will update when I find out.

Update:

It was a Beechcraft Duke twin -- lost an engine on takeoff and crashed (inverted) into a Ford Explorer near the baggage claim area of terminal. Debris from the crash hit the building -- the pilot had just used the self-service refueling, so was probably full on fuel. One of the guys that works with my dad saw a pillar of smoke/flame...three occupants dead. :(
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
On the phone with him now..

It was a Beechcraft Duke twin -- lost an engine on takeoff..went into the terminal. They had just used the self-service refueling -- apparently one of the guys saw a pillar of smoke/flame. Doesn't sound too good for the pilot. :(
 
K

Kalvin00

Lifer
Jan 11, 2003
12,705
5
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee
On the phone with him now..

It was a Beechcraft Duke twin -- lost an engine on takeoff..went into the terminal. They had just used the self-service refueling -- apparently one of the guys saw a pillar of smoke/flame. Doesn't sound too good for the pilot. :(
Click to expand...

:(
 
MrDudeMan

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
your update makes no sense. did they crash during take-off? did it lose an engine, touchdown, and go back to the terminal and explode? i dont get it. use more words.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
your update makes no sense. did they crash during take-off? did it lose an engine, touchdown, and go back to the terminal and explode? i dont get it. use more words.
Click to expand...

Lost an engine on takeoff and crashed into the terminal. Maybe attained several hundred feet.

I wasn't there, and I don't have much information. Sorry.
 
MrDudeMan

MrDudeMan

Lifer
Jan 15, 2001
15,069
94
91
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
your update makes no sense. did they crash during take-off? did it lose an engine, touchdown, and go back to the terminal and explode? i dont get it. use more words.
Click to expand...

Lost an engine on takeoff and crashed into the terminal. Maybe attained several hundred feet.

I wasn't there, and I don't have much information. Sorry.
Click to expand...

ouch...that sucks. i dont know what kind of plane that is. does it carry passengers? was it full?
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
your update makes no sense. did they crash during take-off? did it lose an engine, touchdown, and go back to the terminal and explode? i dont get it. use more words.
Click to expand...

Lost an engine on takeoff and crashed into the terminal. Maybe attained several hundred feet.

I wasn't there, and I don't have much information. Sorry.
Click to expand...

ouch...that sucks. i dont know what kind of plane that is. does it carry passengers? was it full?
Click to expand...

Don't know on passengers...I'm not too familiar with the aircraft, but I pulled this up on Google. I don't know if that's the same model, though.

I'm thinking it was just the pilot, but I don't have anything behind that except hope. :(
 
skyking

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,811
5,975
146
Engine failure on takeoff is the most critical time. The Duke is a high powered light twin with 380HP turbo lycomings. It does not have an accelerate-go profile, and if an engine fails while on the ground, you stay on the ground, no ifs ands or buts. It takes a bit of runway to get a duke up to speed.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KGNV
If the pilot were operating off the 4158 ft runway, that might have been a factor.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: skyking
Engine failure on takeoff is the most critical time. The Duke is a high powered light twin with 380HP turbo lycomings. It does not have an accelerate-go profile, and if an engine fails while on the ground, you stay on the ground, no ifs ands or buts. It takes a bit of runway to get a duke up to speed.
http://www.airnav.com/airport/KGNV
If the pilot were operating off the 4158 ft runway, that might have been a factor.
Click to expand...

I'm almost positive he was taking off on 24 -- so you're probably right on.
 
skyking

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,811
5,975
146
It is all sheer speculation, but ending up in the terminal building on takeoff is likely a loss of control at or below VMCA. I have read plenty of reports to that effect over the years. The tendency is to hesitate when faced with an engine failure at or around liftoff, and that is tragic.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: skyking
It is all sheer speculation, but ending up in the terminal building on takeoff is likely a loss of control at or below VMCA. I have read plenty of reports to that effect over the years. The tendency is to hesitate when faced with an engine failure at or around liftoff, and that is tragic.
Click to expand...

Just found that he crashed inverted, if that helps any.
 
skyking

skyking

Lifer
Nov 21, 2001
22,811
5,975
146
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Originally posted by: skyking
It is all sheer speculation, but ending up in the terminal building on takeoff is likely a loss of control at or below VMCA. I have read plenty of reports to that effect over the years. The tendency is to hesitate when faced with an engine failure at or around liftoff, and that is tragic.
Click to expand...

Just found that he crashed inverted, if that helps any.
Click to expand...

Typical, and tragically always fatal.
 
jlee

jlee

Lifer
Sep 12, 2001
48,518
223
106
Originally posted by: MrDudeMan
any updates? is it on tv yet?
Click to expand...

I live in NH, and he's in FL - I doubt it'd make national news. I haven't heard anything more..
 
CallMeJoe

CallMeJoe

Diamond Member
Jul 30, 2004
6,938
5
81
Originally posted by: CadetLee
Don't know on passengers...I'm not too familiar with the aircraft, but I pulled this up on Google. I don't know if that's the same model, though.
I'm thinking it was just the pilot, but I don't have anything behind that except hope. :(
Click to expand...
That is a Duke. It seats as many as six, and is notorious as a "ground-lover". A lot of power, but a very heavy airframe. No way a Duke holds altitude on one engine. If he had one engine cut out right after rotation, he was doomed.
 
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