IAD05LA008

On October 27, 2004, at 1730 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N2922C, was substantially damaged during an attempted takeoff from Kindelberger Landing Strip (24PA), Freedom, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, one passenger received minor injuries, and one passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local parachuting flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

During the initial climb after takeoff from runway 09, the airplane struck a stand of trees and then impacted the ground. The airplane struck the trees at a height about 20 feet above the ground

During an interview, the pilot stated that he would typically depart westerly, but on the day of the accident, the winds favored an easterly takeoff. About 500 feet from the beginning of the runway, the airplane became airborne. The pilot stated that he did not see the trees before hitting them.

The pilot also reported that the engine was operating normally throughout the takeoff.

According to a passenger who was onboard the airplane, he looked outside of the front window and realized that the airplane was heading towards a tree next to the south side of the runway. The passenger yelled, and ducked behind the pilot's seat. The airplane struck the tree with the right wing, then impacted the ground and rolled onto its roof.

During a telephone interview, the passenger stated he did not believe that there were any problems with the airplane's engine prior to impact. He also stated that the pilot did not make any changes to the airplane's flight path, and that the pilot "just flew straight."

According to the Airman Exam Summary for the pilot's most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical examination, which was conducted on February 21, 2003, the pilot's uncorrected vision in both eyes was 20/200, and was corrected to 20/40. The medical certificate was subsequently issued with the limitation, "airman must wear corrective lenses." According to the passenger, the pilot was wearing glasses during the accident flight.

A review of the pilot's FAA medical records revealed that his most recent application for a second-class medical certificate was denied on May 27, 2003. The stated reason for the denial was of the pilot's history and clinical diagnosis of coronary artery disease, and the required treatment of bypass surgery.

Kindelberger Landing Strip was a private airport owned and managed by the pilot. Runway 09/27 is a 1,515-foot by 110-foot turf runway, and its condition is listed as poor. The trees the airplane struck were located about 500 feet from the arrival end of runway 09. The trees were on the south side of, and about 10 feet from, the runway edge.

The weather reported at Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT), about 12 nautical miles southwest, at 1751, included calm winds and few clouds at 14,000 feet.