What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 16, 2008, at 1545 mountain standard time, N3487T, a Cessna 177, collided with terrain during takeoff from st. Johns Industrial airpark, St Johns, Arizona. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries; the airplane was destroyed by fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed. The pilot was destined for falcon field, mesa, Arizona. According to fueling personnel at the airport who witnessed the accident, the airplane landed at st. Johns about 1520. During the landing, the airplane bounced on the runway and the engine lost power. The pilot could not restart the engine so the airplane was towed to the fueling area. The fuel tanks were filled to capacity, the engine started without difficulty, and the pilot then departed at 1545. The witness saw the airplane go down the runway and there was no change in engine power. The airplane lifted out of ground effect and did not climb any higher. It continued down the runway and at its end, the witness saw the airplane stall to the left, prior to ground impact. The pilot subsequently died.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 16, 2008, AT 1545 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, N3487T, A CESSNA 177, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF FROM ST. JOHNS INDUSTRIAL AIRPARK, ST JOHNS, ARIZONA. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT WAS DESTINED FOR FALCON FIELD, MESA, ARIZONA. ACCORDING TO FUELING PERSONNEL AT THE AIRPORT WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE LANDED AT ST. JOHNS ABOUT 1520. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON THE RUNWAY AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT COULD NOT RESTART THE ENGINE SO THE AIRPLANE WAS TOWED TO THE FUELING AREA. THE FUEL TANKS WERE FILLED TO CAPACITY, THE ENGINE STARTED WITHOUT DIFFICULTY, AND THE PILOT THEN DEPARTED AT 1545. THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE GO DOWN THE RUNWAY AND THERE WAS NO CHANGE IN ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AND DID NOT CLIMB ANY HIGHER. IT CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY AND AT ITS END, THE WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE STALL TO THE LEFT, PRIOR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PILOT SUBSEQUENTLY DIED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.