What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 27, 2011, about 1000 Alaska daylight time, (AKDT), a conventional wheel equipped Cessna 180 airplane, N4955A, was destroyed shortly after takeoff from Birchwood Airport (bcv), chugiak, Alaska. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules personal flight under title 14, CFR part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was privacy data omitted by the privacy data omitted, privacy data omitted of eagle river, Alaska. The five people aboard including the pilot were all fatally injured on impact with terrain and the subsequent fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at bcv, at approximately 1000 AKDT. The reported purpose of the flight was transportation to seldovia, Alaska, for the three day memorial day weekend. Eyewitness report the aircraft departed runway 19R at an approximate 45 degree angle heading towards a row off fifty foot high trees which border the airport to the east. It appears the pilot attempted to climb over the trees and subsequently stalled the aircraft just beyond the trees impacting the terrain adjacent to the airport boundary. The impacted terrain is a level railroad right of way at approximetly the same elevation as the departure runway. The airplane was destroyed by the impact and subsequent fire with only the outboard portion of both wings and tail section remaining not completely burned. The closest weather reporting facility is the Birchwood Airport. The automated weather observation system at the Birchwood Airport was reporting at 1816Z: wind, 250 degrees (true) at 4 knots, visibility, 10 statute miles; clear; temperature, 55 degrees f; dew point,40 degrees f; altimeter, 27.85 in. Hg.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 27, 2011, ABOUT 1000 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, (AKDT), A CONVENTIONAL WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 180 AIRPLANE, N4955A, WAS DESTROYED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT (BCV), CHUGIAK, ALASKA. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER TITLE 14, CFR PART 91, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BY THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF EAGLE RIVER, ALASKA. THE FIVE PEOPLE ABOARD INCLUDING THE PILOT WERE ALL FATALLY INJURED ON IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AND THE SUBSEQUENT FIRE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BCV, AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 AKDT. THE REPORTED PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TRANSPORTATION TO SELDOVIA, ALASKA, FOR THE THREE DAY MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. EYEWITNESS REPORT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED RUNWAY 19R AT AN APPROXIMATE 45 DEGREE ANGLE HEADING TOWARDS A ROW OFF FIFTY FOOT HIGH TREES WHICH BORDER THE AIRPORT TO THE EAST. IT APPEARS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB OVER THE TREES AND SUBSEQUENTLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT JUST BEYOND THE TREES IMPACTING THE TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. THE IMPACTED TERRAIN IS A LEVEL RAILROAD RIGHT OF WAY AT APPROXIMETLY THE SAME ELEVATION AS THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE WITH ONLY THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF BOTH WINGS AND TAIL SECTION REMAINING NOT COMPLETELY BURNED. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY IS THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT. THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SYSTEM AT THE BIRCHWOOD AIRPORT WAS REPORTING AT 1816Z: WIND, 250 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 4 KNOTS, VISIBILITY, 10 STATUTE MILES; CLEAR; TEMPERATURE, 55 DEGREES F; DEW POINT,40 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 27.85 IN. HG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N4955A · 4
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.