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19970717018779A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 182N · Sacramento, CA · July 17, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 17, 1997 · 18:10 local
Place
Sacramento, CA
Airport
Mather Afb
Phase of flight
To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N9099G
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX97LA252
Reported as
Cessna 182N
Reported engine
Continental O470*
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
109 total14 in this make and model14 in the last 90 days
N9099GRegistered now · Cessna 182NS/N 18260639 · Built 1971Airframe modelCessna 182NEngine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) While performing the walk around inspection the pilot noted the elevator trim tab was in an elevated position. After starting the engine the pilot repositioned the trim wheel inside the cockpit to the takeoff position. During takeoff rotation the pilot eased back on the yoke and reported that the aircraft felt heavier than usual. As the aircraft came off the ground, the pilot released some of the back pressure and the aircraft struck the runway. The pilot pulled the yoke back and the aircraft bounced higher and harder. After the second bounce the pilot reduced the power, the nose wheel struck the runway and collapsed the nose landing gear. Approximately 1 month before the accident a discrepancy was reported indicating that the pitch trim wire had jumped its groove. The same facility that had worked on the aircraft the day of the accident had repaired the pitch trim wire by repositioning the pitch trim indicator to center travel in the window. The aircraft's type certificate data sheet notes that the total trim tab travel should be 43 degrees including the plus/minus tolerances. An FAA inspector examined the aircraft and found that the total trim travel available was 35 degrees. The inspector reported that the total trim travel favored the nose down attitude, but it was off-centered by only 5 degrees. The cockpit indicator was found to move easily from grove to grove.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) WHILE PERFORMING THE WALK AROUND INSPECTION THE PILOT NOTED THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB WAS IN AN ELEVATED POSITION. AFTER STARTING THE ENGINE THE PILOT REPOSITIONED THE TRIM WHEEL INSIDE THE COCKPIT TO THE TAKEOFF POSITION. DURING TAKEOFF ROTATION THE PILOT EASED BACK ON THE YOKE AND REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FELT HEAVIER THAN USUAL. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME OFF THE GROUND, THE PILOT RELEASED SOME OF THE BACK PRESSURE AND THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT PULLED THE YOKE BACK AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED HIGHER AND HARDER. AFTER THE SECOND BOUNCE THE PILOT REDUCED THE POWER, THE NOSE WHEEL STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND COLLAPSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT A DISCREPANCY WAS REPORTED INDICATING THAT THE PITCH TRIM WIRE HAD JUMPED ITS GROOVE. THE SAME FACILITY THAT HAD WORKED ON THE AIRCRAFT THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HAD REPAIRED THE PITCH TRIM WIRE BY REPOSITIONING THE PITCH TRIM INDICATOR TO CENTER TRAVEL IN THE WINDOW. THE AIRCRAFT'S TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET NOTES THAT THE TOTAL TRIM TAB TRAVEL SHOULD BE 43 DEGREES INCLUDING THE PLUS/MINUS TOLERANCES. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND FOUND THAT THE TOTAL TRIM TRAVEL AVAILABLE WAS 35 DEGREES. THE INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE TOTAL TRIM TRAVEL FAVORED THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, BUT IT WAS OFF-CENTERED BY ONLY 5 DEGREES. THE COCKPIT INDICATOR WAS FOUND TO MOVE EASILY FROM GROVE TO GROVE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX97LA252Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSacramento, CAFailure of maintenance personnel to adequately repair the pitch trim system and ensure that it was properly rigged, and the pilot's failure to maintain pitch control due to the distraction at liftoff of the mistrim condition.Jul 18, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N9099G · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19750728021879AFinal Approach-IFR · Fortuna, CAPilot experienced vertigo after crossing the VOR. Hit hill drg recovery.Jul 28, 1975 · Substantial damage