Stall / Spin · NTSB ANC11FA037
CESSNA 180 — Chugiak, AK
| Date | May 27, 2011 |
| Location | Chugiak, AK |
| Aircraft | CESSNA 180 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Initial climb Aerodynamic stall/spin |
| Pilot age | 46 |
| Pilot total time | 199 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | 4 hrs |
| Fatalities | 5 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Total experience w/ equipment-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Planning/preparation-Weight/balance calculations-Pilot - F
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Recent experience-Pilot - F
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
What happened
The pilot and four passengers departed on a cross country flight; witnesses reported that the airplane took off in a very nose-high attitude. One witness stated that the airplane went off the left side of the runway before becoming airborne, and, once aloft, it headed toward a row of trees on the east side of the airport. The airplane climbed over the trees, turned to the south, and then quickly rolled right and descended to the ground. A postcrash fire consumed most the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot’s logbook noted about 4 hours in the accident airplane, and, according to his logbook entries, he had not flown since June 12, 2010, after receiving instruction in the airplane, thus he did not meet the FAA’s recent experience requirement for the required number of takeoff and landings to carry passengers.
The airplane’s estimated gross weight at the time of the accident was about 243 pounds over its approved maximum takeoff weight.
Given the witness accounts of the airplane swerving off the runway during the takeoff roll, and of its subsequent nose-high attitude and rapid roll prior to impact, it is likely that the pilot lost control during the takeoff roll and then applied excessive nose-up pitch to become airborne. Once airborne, he failed to attain sufficient airspeed to avoid an aerodynamic stall, and the airplane descended out of control to the ground.