- Date
- June 11, 1994, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Wickenburg, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4764UCessna 180H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 5, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940611015059A
- Case key
- 28768
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 remove the control lock prior to flight.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot attempted a takeoff with the control lock still engaged in the control column. Photographs taken by the local sheriff shortly after the accident depicted the control lock still installed.
Factual narrative
On June 11, 1994, at 1000 hours mountain daylight time, the pilot of a Cessna 180H, N4764U, lost control and collided with terrain during takeoff from runway 05, at the Wickenburg Municipal Airport, Wickenburg, Arizona. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by the pilot/owner. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certificated commercial pilot received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed with the winds from 240 degrees at 8 knots.
The Civil Air Patrol (CAP), reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), that the airplane's control lock was found engaged in the control column after the accident. Additionally, photographs provided by the local sheriff's office indicated that the control lock was attached to the control column.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4764U
- Reported as
- Cessna 180H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18051464
- Airframe hours
- 2,613
- Engine
- Continental O-470R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- O'Leary, Dorman S.
- Registered owner
- Dorman S. O'Leary
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 4, 1994 · 13 hours before
- Airport
- E25 · Wickenburg, runway 5, 5,050 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 70
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 99 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LUF
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 N4764U · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.