Cessna T207 N211AS

Summary

On 4 September 2013 at about 13:58 local time, a Cessna T207 registered N211AS, operated by Sanborn Map Company, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

4 September 2013 at 13:58

Classification

Accident

Location

Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Colorado Springs Municipal (COS)

Coordinates

38.8058, -104.7008

Aircraft

Cessna T207

Registration

N211AS

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sanborn Map Company

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Springs → Lubbock

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA539

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to establish the proper pitch attitude and airspeed during takeoff with the engine at maximum power, which resulted in the exceedance of the airplane’s climb performance capability.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he performed the takeoff with the airplane at gross weight and with the flaps up and the engine set for maximum power, which he verified by reading the instruments. During the takeoff, the airplane accelerated and achieved liftoff about 65 to 70 mph and then climbed a couple hundred feet before the pilot began to lower the nose to accelerate to normal climb speed (90 to 100 mph). The airplane then stopped climbing and would not accelerate more than 80 mph. While the pilot attempted to maintain altitude, the airplane decelerated to 70 mph with the engine still at the full-power setting. With insufficient runway remaining to land, the pilot made a shallow right turn toward lower terrain and subsequently made a hard landing in a field. The pilot likely allowed the airplane to climb out of ground effect before establishing a proper pitch attitude and airspeed for the climb, which resulted in the airplane inadvertently entering a "region of reversed command" at a low altitude. In this state, the airplane may be incapable of climbing and would require either more engine power or further lowering of the airplane's nose to increase airspeed. Because engine power was already at its maximum and the airplane was at a low altitude, the pilot was unable to take remedial action to fly out of the region of reversed command.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.