N3191V

On June 6, 1999, at 1437 eastern daylight time, a Beech BE-35 Bonanza, N3191V, was substantially damaged during collision with trees and terrain after takeoff from the Boonville Incorporated Airport (1NK7), Boonville, New York. The airplane was destroyed in a post-crash fire. The certificated commercial pilot received minor injuries. The two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that originated at Boonville, destined for Carlisle, Pennsylvania. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated:

"We had winds out of the south and the runway was oriented 13 and 31. It looked on the windsock like it was favoring 31, but it wasn't. I took it off the runway too slow and the torque just took over. I could feel it happening and I was wondering, 'What are you doing?' I thought as I gained airspeed, I would gain rudder control, which I did, but by that time I was off the side of the runway.

"I was just about half the width of the airplane off the side of the runway. I thought I was past the shrub on the right, but I wasn't. I put the right wing down on that side and I hit it. The wing hit the bush and pulled us around in almost a half circle. We ended up sliding backwards down the runway. The wing hit first, then the nose, then backwards. But that was the outcome, not the cause.

"Mechanically, everything was working great. I had 2,500 RPM, no problems there. It was a hot, gusty day with very poor lift performance. It just takes one instant to make a wrong decision, and away you go. When I taxied out I looked at the windsock and it looked like it favored 31. By the time it was all over, the winds were favoring 13."

The winds reported at Utica, New York, 20 miles southwest of Boonville were from 240 degrees at 5 knots.

The pilot reported approximately 4,500 hours of flight experience, 250 hours of which were in the BE-35.