Beech C23 N89MH accident near Columbia, Mississippi

Probable cause

The partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during takeoff.

NTSB analysis

The pilot flew the airplane earlier that day on a local flight with no reported discrepancies. He then secured the airplane and took a short break before departing again on another local flight. During the initial takeoff climb, when flying about 200 feet above ground level, the engine lost partial power and started “running very rough.” He aborted the takeoff, landed on the remaining portion of the runway, but traveled off the end colliding with an airport light, which breached the right main fuel tank. A postcrash fire damaged the aft fuselage, aft portion of cabin, and interior of the airplane. Postaccident examination of the engine and engine accessories revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. About the time of the accident, the temperature and dew point were favorable for serious carburetor ice at glide power settings. However, the engine was operating at a high power setting for takeoff, indicating that carburetor ice was likely not the reason for the loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA12LA048 for the full record.