What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot and two passengers were departing from Cavanaugh Bay Airport (66S). During the climb out, the aircraft struck a tree and contacted the ground shortly after. The aircraft came to rest cabin-up, 180 degrees from the intended departure path, with the front of the aircraft facing the departure runway. The propeller blade came to rest with one blade damaged and bent under the engine cowling, with the other blade appearing to be straight. The straight propeller blade seemed to indicate a loss of power. During the on-scene investigation it was found that the aircraft primer appeared to be unlocked and could be pulled freely by the investigators. It was also confirmed that the primer could be placed in the locked position. During the pilot interview, the pilot stated that he calculated performance data for current conditions and taxiied to use the full length of the grass runway at 66S.the pilot did not recall at what point the aircraft was wheels-up. The pilot states that his memory is blank shortly after takeoff and does not remember anything until being pulled from the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE DEPARTING FROM CAVANAUGH BAY AIRPORT (66S). DURING THE CLIMB OUT, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE AND CONTACTED THE GROUND SHORTLY AFTER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST CABIN-UP, 180 DEGREES FROM THE INTENDED DEPARTURE PATH, WITH THE FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT FACING THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY. THE PROPELLER BLADE CAME TO REST WITH ONE BLADE DAMAGED AND BENT UNDER THE ENGINE COWLING, WITH THE OTHER BLADE APPEARING TO BE STRAIGHT. THE STRAIGHT PROPELLER BLADE SEEMED TO INDICATE A LOSS OF POWER. DURING THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE AIRCRAFT PRIMER APPEARED TO BE UNLOCKED AND COULD BE PULLED FREELY BY THE INVESTIGATORS. IT WAS ALSO CONFIRMED THAT THE PRIMER COULD BE PLACED IN THE LOCKED POSITION. DURING THE PILOT INTERVIEW, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CALCULATED PERFORMANCE DATA FOR CURRENT CONDITIONS AND TAXIIED TO USE THE FULL LENGTH OF THE GRASS RUNWAY AT 66S.THE PILOT DID NOT RECALL AT WHAT POINT THE AIRCRAFT WAS WHEELS-UP. THE PILOT STATES THAT HIS MEMORY IS BLANK SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND DOES NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING UNTIL BEING PULLED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
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 N2362Z · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.