ERA22FA218

The pilot was conducting a personal flight with three passengers aboard. Witnesses and airport surveillance video revealed that the airplane took off to the north and immediately entered a nose-high attitude at slow speed while not climbing. The pilot then began a left 270° turn and crossed the departure end of the runway on an easterly heading. The airplane impacted terrain east of the runway and a postimpact fire ensued. The wreckage displayed signatures consistent with the airplane having been in an aerodynamic stall at the time of impact. Witnesses described that the engine was running during the accident flight. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a pre-existing mechanical failure or malfunction. Postaccident weight and balance calculations revealed that the airplane’s weight at takeoff was about 224 pounds, or nearly 10% more than the maximum allowable gross weight. One of the surviving passengers reported that the pilot did not ask for his weight and that he did not observe the pilot performing any preflight weight and balance calculation. Based on this information, it is likely that the pilot’s failure to perform weight and balance calculations resulted in the airplane taking off while overweight, which resulted in its inability to climb. Ultimately the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack and entered an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot could not recover.

The airplane’s weight and balance at the time of the accident was reviewed. Pilot and passenger weights were obtained from autopsy and hospital records. The airplane’s weight was estimated to be 2,424 pounds, which was 224 pounds above the maximum allowable gross weight of 2,200 pounds. The center of gravity was not within the allowable operating envelope at this gross weight. One of the surviving passengers reported that the pilot did not ask him how much he weighed and that he did not observe the pilot performing a weight and balance calculation before the flight. On May 3, 2022, about 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6413B, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Calhoun County Airport (F95), Altha, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the airport manager, the flight departed from runway 36 with full fuel tanks. The pilot was in the left cockpit seat and the airplane owner, who did not hold a pilot certificate, was in the right cockpit seat. According to airport surveillance video and witness statements, the airplane lifted off and immediately attained a high angle of attack at a slow speed. The airplane proceeded northbound past the departure end of runway 36 and made a left 270° turn at a low altitude without climbing. The airplane proceeded eastbound and across the departure end of runway 36 and then descended behind a hangar. Afterward, the airplane impacted the ground, and a postcrash fire ensued. The engine was running throughout the accident flight. An autopsy on the pilot was performed by Office of the Medical Examiner, District 14, Panama City, Florida. The pilot’s cause of death was multiple blunt traumatic and thermal injuries. Toxicological testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carboxyhemoglobin, ethanol, general drugs, and drugs of abuse. F95 had an automated weather observing system that did not issue recorded weather data for distribution. One of the witnesses stated that he observed the airport’s windsock at the time of the accident and that the windsock indicated that the surface wind was from the west at 10 to 15 knots. A review of the airport surveillance video revealed that visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot’s logbook was not located after the accident. The pilot reported 575 hours total flight experience on his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate application, dated January 19, 2021. The airplane came to rest near the airport perimeter fence. The initial impact point consisted of propeller slash marks in the soil about 50 ft west northwest of the main wreckage. Impact marks on the ground were consistent with a nose-low, right-wing-down attitude at impact, and the wreckage was contained within a relatively compact area around the mainwreckage. Most of the fuselage, including the cockpit and instrument panel, was destroyed by postaccident fire. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls. The engine remained attached to the firewall, and the propeller remained attached to the engine. The mechanical flap handle was found at the 10° position. The elevator trim was found at the neutral position. During a postaccident examination of the engine, the left and right magnetos were removed for testing. The left magneto was heat damaged and would not produce a spark to any lead. Disassembly of the unit revealed internal heat damage. The right magneto produced spark on all leads when operated on a test bench. When the propeller was rotated manually, compression and suction were observed at all cylinders, and valve action was correct. Internal engine continuity was confirmed through the rear accessory drive gears. The carburetor inlet screen was clean and showed no contaminants. The examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a pre-existing mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.