Beech A36 N4314S accident near Myerstown, Pennsylvania

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during climbout due to his distraction with raising the landing gear.

NTSB analysis

According to the commercial pilot, he conducted a pre-takeoff engine run-up with no anomalies noted. He taxied to the runway and started the takeoff roll; as the airplane reached takeoff speed, the airplane became airborne, and he reached over to raise the landing gear. He said that it "seemed" like he had a loss of engine power, and when he checked the instrument panel, he noticed that the attitude indicator was on a 10 to 15° left bank. He leveled the wings and tried to continue the climb, but the airplane impacted the ground and "bounced" before coming to a stop. Postaccident examination of the engine and its components revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that when the pilot reached over to raise the landing gear, his lapse in attention resulted in a loss of control of the airplane.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA16LA077 for the full record.