quote:
Nobody is really clear why they left that night (the law made them leave, they were out of booze in a small town etc), but it is accepted the pilot tried to take off from the taxi runway so they crashed about half way up the pine trees around the runway.

They were scheduled to leave right after the concert, NTSB speculated the pilot had a heart attack during takeoff due to fining of severe coronary artery disease and the fact he ran form his hotel to the plane because he was late for their scheduled take off. I have talked to several pilots that flew in and out of that airport during that time, have never heard anything about using the taxiway until now. The taxiway in the direction they crashed only parallels the runway for half its length and is very narrow.

NTSB Identification: FTW74AF017
14 CFR Part 135 Nonscheduled operation of ROBERT AIRWAYS
Aircraft: BEECH E18S, registration: N50JR
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FILE DATE LOCATION AIRCRAFT DATA INJURIES FLIGHT PILOT DATA F S M/N PURPOSE----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3-3541 73/9/20 NATCHITOCHES,LA BEECH E18S CR- 1 0 0 COMMERCIAL AIRLINE TRANSPORT, AGE TIME - 2245 N50JR PX- 5 0 0 AIR TAXI-PASSG 57, 14290 TOTAL HOURS, DAMAGE-DESTROYED OT- 0 0 0 2190 IN TYPE, INSTRUMENT RATED. NAME OF AIRPORT - NATCHITOCHES MUNI DEPARTURE POINT INTENDED DESTINATION LAST ENROUTE STOP NATCHITOCHES,LA DALLAS,TEX SHERMAN,TEX TYPE OF ACCIDENT PHASE OF OPERATION COLLIDED WITH: TREES TAKEOFF: INITIAL CLIMB PROBABLE CAUSE(S) PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO SEE AND AVOID OBJECTS OR OBSTRUCTIONS FACTOR(S) PILOT IN COMMAND - PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT WEATHER - FOG WEATHER - OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS SKY CONDITION CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE CLEAR UNLIMITED VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE 5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED) NONE OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE TEMPERATURE-F HAZE 69 WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS CALM VFR TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN NONE REMARKS- PLT HAD SEV CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE.RAN FRM MOTEL TO NEAR ARPT,ABT 3MI.Full narrative is not available