What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot and passenger departed 27W westbound at about 1010 on August 18, 2010. Witness (a pilot who dropped the occupants off at the airstrip) said he watched them depart. Witness said the aircraft struggled to get over the trees at the FAR end of the runway, but when he saw it clear the tops of the trees he turned to go back to his car. That's when he heard the sound of the crash. He called 911 and the passenger also called 911. Both occupants had serious injuries but survived. Temperature at time of departure was reported to be 85 degrees fahrenheit. Altimeter setting was approximately 29.94, near standard. Altitude density at the time would have been around 4000 feet MSL and is considered to be a primary factor along with the aircraft load. Most baggage was removed, but not all. Removed baggage was weighed at the chelan county sheriff's office at about 40 pounds. Estimate about 5 pounds of items left in the baggage compartment. Pilot weighs about 170 pounds, passenger about 150 pounds. Payload without fuel calculated at about 365 pounds. Minimum fuel is listed in weight and balance report as 12 gallons, about 75 pounds (total about 440 pounds). However, actual amount of fuel onboard at the time of takeoff is not known. After the crash, fuel was measured in the right tank (slightly downhill side) at just over an inch. The left tank did not seem to have any fuel in it. The center tank gas cap had come off at some point and there was very little fuel in that tank. The passenger was reported to be splashed with gasoline, which is likely to have happened when the front tank cap came off and the top of the canopy departed the airplane. The aircraft had originally flown in two days prior from pae carrying only the pilot, with unknown fuel consumption for that flight. Fuel is not available at 27W.weight and balance report taped to the inside wall of the baggage compartment states useful load at 571.6 pounds. Report calls the aircraft a 415D model, while the airworthiness certificate shows it is a 415C. Aircraft was equipped with a C-85 engine.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT AND PASSENGER DEPARTED 27W WESTBOUND AT ABOUT 1010 ON AUGUST 18, 2010. WITNESS (A PILOT WHO DROPPED THE OCCUPANTS OFF AT THE AIRSTRIP) SAID HE WATCHED THEM DEPART. WITNESS SAID THE AIRCRAFT STRUGGLED TO GET OVER THE TREES AT THE FAR END OF THE RUNWAY, BUT WHEN HE SAW IT CLEAR THE TOPS OF THE TREES HE TURNED TO GO BACK TO HIS CAR. THAT'S WHEN HE HEARD THE SOUND OF THE CRASH. HE CALLED 911 AND THE PASSENGER ALSO CALLED 911. BOTH OCCUPANTS HAD SERIOUS INJURIES BUT SURVIVED. TEMPERATURE AT TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS REPORTED TO BE 85 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ALTIMETER SETTING WAS APPROXIMATELY 29.94, NEAR STANDARD. ALTITUDE DENSITY AT THE TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN AROUND 4000 FEET MSL AND IS CONSIDERED TO BE A PRIMARY FACTOR ALONG WITH THE AIRCRAFT LOAD. MOST BAGGAGE WAS REMOVED, BUT NOT ALL. REMOVED BAGGAGE WAS WEIGHED AT THE CHELAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE AT ABOUT 40 POUNDS. ESTIMATE ABOUT 5 POUNDS OF ITEMS LEFT IN THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. PILOT WEIGHS ABOUT 170 POUNDS, PASSENGER ABOUT 150 POUNDS. PAYLOAD WITHOUT FUEL CALCULATED AT ABOUT 365 POUNDS. MINIMUM FUEL IS LISTED IN WEIGHT AND BALANCE REPORT AS 12 GALLONS, ABOUT 75 POUNDS (TOTAL ABOUT 440 POUNDS). HOWEVER, ACTUAL AMOUNT OF FUEL ONBOARD AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF IS NOT KNOWN. AFTER THE CRASH, FUEL WAS MEASURED IN THE RIGHT TANK (SLIGHTLY DOWNHILL SIDE) AT JUST OVER AN INCH. THE LEFT TANK DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE ANY FUEL IN IT. THE CENTER TANK GAS CAP HAD COME OFF AT SOME POINT AND THERE WAS VERY LITTLE FUEL IN THAT TANK. THE PASSENGER WAS REPORTED TO BE SPLASHED WITH GASOLINE, WHICH IS LIKELY TO HAVE HAPPENED WHEN THE FRONT TANK CAP CAME OFF AND THE TOP OF THE CANOPY DEPARTED THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD ORIGINALLY FLOWN IN TWO DAYS PRIOR FROM PAE CARRYING ONLY THE PILOT, WITH UNKNOWN FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THAT FLIGHT. FUEL IS NOT AVAILABLE AT 27W.WEIGHT AND BALANCE REPORT TAPED TO THE INSIDE WALL OF THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT STATES USEFUL LOAD AT 571.6 POUNDS. REPORT CALLS THE AIRCRAFT A 415D MODEL, WHILE THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE SHOWS IT IS A 415C. AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A C-85 ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.