19990619045129A

(-23) On 06-19-99 at approximately 11:03 PDT a Cessna 182A owned by daniel h. dougherty was involved in a fatal aircraft accident during takeoff on a skydiving flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was destroyed, and the pilot and three skydivers were killed and one skydiver was seriously injured. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate. The flight originated at Paso Robles Municipal Airport, Paso Robles, CA, on 06-19-99 at approximately 11:00 PDT. According to competent witnesses, the pilot made a mid-field, downwind takeoff on runway 19. After approximately 3,000 of ground roll, the aircraft lifted off and entered an approximately 45 degree climb angle to approximately 100 feet above ground level where it stalled. The airplane then made a steep nosedown descent impacting the ground with a high vertical velocity before the pilot could completely recover from the stall. Inspection of the wreckage indicated that the engine was developing power at the time of impact. (.4) the airplane quickly became airborne and started an extremely steep cl imb for several hundred feet, which was followed by an equally steep descent until the airplane collided with terrain. The airplane had just completed one jump flight, and a different pilot fueled the airplane in preparation for the accident flight. The airplane was configured with one seat on the left side for the pilot and a 2-inch pad with seat belts for up to four skydivers. One skydiver was kneeling facing forward in the most aft position of the cabin, two were facing aft in the middle of the cabin, and one (the survivor) was leaning against a bulkhead in the front right position and facing aft. The survivor was secured by a lap belt and said the other jumpers were strapped in as well. His harness moved him away from the instrument panel, but his head was level with the pilot's thighs. The pilot did not do a run-up and taxied straight onto the runway for takeoff. After takeoff the survivor observed the pilot "furiously working" her right hand from liftoff to ground contact. She was reaching right but it was not determined whether she was rolling something or working her arm up and down. She maintained her normal sitting position and did not move forward or aft. One of the first rescuers noted the fatally injured pilot and the survivor were suspended by their seat belts as the airplane lay inverted; the other occupants were ejected from the airplane. The seat belt behind the pilot was dangling unbuckled when rescuers reached the airplane. When the safety board investigator arrived on scene, all of the belts were observed to be hanging vertically and unbuckled. Post accident investigation revealed no discrepancies with the airframe, engine, or seat belts. Both the before start and before takeoff check lists instructed the pilot to verify that the adjustable stabilizer control wheel was in the "takeoff range." The system's section noted control wheel forces would be very heavy if the stabilizer was not properly set.