- Date
- January 14, 2017, 10:35 local (15:35 UTC)
- Place
- Mobile, AL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N707RBCessna 182
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20170114000369A
- Case key
- 94611
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 pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the initial climb.
Findings · 2
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
According to the pilot, the single-engine airplane was equipped with a short takeoff and landing system, and before takeoff, he "lowered the full length flaperons to 30°." The airplane climbed out at 70 mph, and as it reached an altitude of 75 ft above ground level, it encountered a crosswind gust from the right. The right wing pitched up, and the pilot attempted to recover the airplane by applying right aileron, followed by right rudder, and then lowering the nose; however, he could not stop the roll to the left. The airplane collided with the ground adjacent to the runway and sustained substantial damage to its airframe. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The reported wind condition at the departure airport at the time of the accident was variable at 3 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, the single-engine airplane was equipped with a short takeoff and landing system and before takeoff, he "lowered the full length flaperons to 30°." The airplane climbed out at 70 mph, and as it reached an altitude of 75 ft above ground level, it encountered a crosswind gust from the right. The right wing pitched up and the pilot attempted to recover the airplane by applying right aileron, followed by right rudder, and then lowering the nose; however, he could not stop the roll to the left. The airplane collided with the ground adjacent to the runway, and sustained substantial damage to its airframe. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The reported wind condition at the departure airport at the time of the accident, were winds variable at 3 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N707RB
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (J)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18257446
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 6,057.14
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 6, 2017 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- BFM · Mobile, AL
- Destination
- JYL · Sylvania, GA
- Airport
- BFM · Mobile Downtown, runway 32, 9,618 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Handheld GPS
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 8, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,600 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,550 as pilot in command · 35 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFM
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB 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.