Cessna P206 N2588X

Summary

On 30 October 2004 at about 16:06 local time, a Cessna P206 registered N2588X, operated by Jacksonville Extreme Sports, was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida, United States. 6 people were on board and one died, 4 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 October 2004 at 16:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Jacksonville, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Herlong Airport (KHEG)

Coordinates

30.2772, -81.7997

Aircraft

Cessna P206

Registration

N2588X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jacksonville Extreme Sports

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA05FA017

1 person died.

The improper setting of the elevator trim by the pilot-in-command, his failure to follow the checklist related to elevator trim setting, and his failure to maintain VS during climb after takeoff resulting in an inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot did not perform weight and balance calculations for the accident flight; though, postaccident calculations indicated that the airplane was under gross weight and the center of gravity was within limits. The pilot reported that he did not have any memory of the accident flight. The accident flight was the second flight of the day for the pilot and began immediately after landing from the previous skydive drop flight. The passengers were loaded and the pilot taxied to runway 11 where he began the takeoff. Witnesses and a pilot-rated passenger in the airplane reported that after rotation, the airplane pitched up. The pilot-rated passenger who was seated behind the pilot moved forward and noted the pilot moving the manual elevator trim wheel in the nose-down direction. The airplane was observed to stall, pitch nose down, and collide with terrain. The flaps were extended 20 degrees, and the elevator trim was found set 10 degrees trailing edge tab down, or aircraft nose-up. The maximum elevator trim trailing edge down takeoff setting is 4 degrees. The airplane "Owner's Manual" before takeoff checklist indicates to set the elevator trim to the takeoff setting. The pilot reported that he had performed a takeoff in the accident airplane 2 times previously in which the elevator trim was position full nose-up. During those occasions, he moved the elevator trim to the nose-down direction and continued the takeoff. No evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction was noted to the flight controls for roll, pitch, yaw, or pitch trim. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.