Cessna 182G N2064R

Summary

On 8 August 2003 at about 21:30 local time, a Cessna 182G registered N2064R was involved in an accident near Topeka, Kansas, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 August 2003 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Topeka, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Buena Terra (33KS)

Coordinates

39.1589, -95.6100

Aircraft

Cessna 182G

Registration

N2064R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Topeka → Pittsburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03FA251

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in a stall during takeoff. Contributing factors were the low altitude he was at during the takeoff, and the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during takeoff. A witness stated, "After the run up, he started his take off roll. ... I noticed he was in trouble because he rotated very late and I could see the entire top of the A/C [aircraft]. He immediately pushed over to get more airspeed. The A/C was mushing along and fell off in a left wing low stall (I think he was stalled)." A passenger heard the stall warning horn go off, the airplane became airborne, and she heard the stall warning horn go off another time. She said that the wing dipped left and then hard right. The airplane seemed low to her. She stated that the engine did not sound right. She looked up and saw trees approaching. She reported that she recalled the plane going down and the airplane was not responding the way the pilot wanted. She said the airplane hit the ground and slid inverted. Local weather was: Wind 060 degrees at 3 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 33 degrees C; dew point 14 degrees C; altimeter 30.00 inches of mercury. The calculated local density altitude was 3,124 feet. The airport was a private, uncontrolled airport with two grass runways. The departure runway, 35, was 2,000 feet long and 80 feet wide. Runway 1/19 was 2,500 feet long. The propeller exhibited leading edge nicks and chordwise abrasions. A liquid that smelled like fuel was found in the left wing's fuel tank and in the gascolator. The flaps were found retracted. An on-scene examination revealed flight and engine control continuity. The engine produced a thumb compression at all cylinders when the engine crankshaft was rotated by hand. Both magnetos produced sparks at their spark plug wire ends when the magnetos were rotated by hand. No anomalies were detected. The owner's manual stated, "Using 20 [degrees] wing flaps reduces the ground run and total distance over the obstacle by approximately 20 per cent."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.