- Date
- August 22, 2009, 13:03 local (18:03 UTC)
- Place
- Weeping Water, NE
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N1921XCessna 182
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Abnormal runway contact
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090822017349A
- Case key
- 74594
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilots' improper execution of soft/short field take-off procedures.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was departing from a soft, dry, 2,200-foot turf airfield using soft/short field procedures. After becoming airborne, the airplane settled back onto the runway, became airborne, and settled onto the runway a second time. At this time the right main wheel separated and the landing gear strut dug into the terrain spinning the airplane around and bringing it to an abrupt stop. The airplane was substantially damaged. An examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies. Information contained in the NTSB Form 6120.1, as completed by the accident pilot, indicated that the airplane was five pounds under maximum gross weight at 2945 pounds.
Factual narrative
On August 22, 2009, at 1303 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182H, N1921X, registered to Lincoln Sport Parachute Club, Inc., impacted terrain during departure from Browns Airport (NE69), Weeping Water, Nebraska. Neither the airline transport pilot nor the four sky divers on board were injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight was operated under provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.The pilot stated that he used a short/soft field take off procedure when departing the soft, dry, 2,200 foot turf airfield. After becoming airborne, the airplane briefly settled back onto the runway. The airplane became airborne and settled back onto the runway a second time after losing "ground effect" due to down sloping terrain; the right main wheel separating from the landing gear strut allowing the strut to dig into the ground. The airplane spun around and came to rest upright resulting in bent left and right wing spars, a bent fuselage aft of the passenger compartment, and a bent firewall. An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector revealed no pre-existing mechanical anomalies. A review of the pilot's operating handbook (POH) for the Cessna 182 showed that soft field take-offs are to be "performed with 20 degrees of flaps by lifting the airplane off the ground as soon as practical in a slightly tail-low attitude" and the airplane accelerated in ground effect if no obstacles are present in the flight path. Consulting the performance charts found in the POH, at maximum gross weight, the calculated ground roll for this type aircraft was 730 feet with 1350 feet needed to clear a 50 foot obstacle. A 15 percent increase in ground roll distance is assessed for operation from a dry, grass runway. Density altitude at the time of the accident calculates to approximately 2,195 feet. The accident aircraft was upgraded with Short take-off and landing (STOL) equipment in the form of ART R1582 wing extensions, and an engine conversion that allow for an increased take-off gross weight limit. Information contained in the NTSB Form 6120.1, as completed by the accident pilot, indicated that the airplane was five pounds under maximum gross weight at 2945 pounds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1921X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (H)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18256021
- Airframe hours
- 4,900
- Engine
- Continental O470, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving · Part 91
- Operator
- Lincoln Sport Parachute Club Inc.
- Registered owner
- Lincoln Sport Parachute Club Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- NE69 · Weeping Water, NE
- Destination
- NE69 · Weeping Water, NE
- Airport
- NE69 · Browns Airport, runway 17, 2,200 × 60 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 31, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,133 total · 200 in this make and model · 5,733 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 160 °F, dew point 131 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KPMV, 12 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 3, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 547 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N1921X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.