Five Souls Lost In Takeoff Accident
According to an NTSB Prelim, the start of a short flight in a
Cessna 180 seemed a bit off right from the start, with the bird
assuming an excessive pitch angle right at departure and heading
off runway heading (toward obstacles).. and flying for only a short
while before going down barely a half mile from the airport...
NTSB Identification: ANC11FA037
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 27, 2011 in Chugiak, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N4955A
Injuries: 5 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may
contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
On May 27, 2011, about 1014 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180,
N4955A, collided with terrain during the initial climb after
takeoff from the Birchwood airport, Chugiak, Alaska. The airplane
received substantial damage as a result of the impact and a post
crash fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot, and operated
under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a
personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions
prevailed at the time of the accident. The certificated private
pilot and four passengers were killed. The flight was originating
at the time of the accident and was enroute to Seldovia,
Alaska.
Several witnesses stated that they saw the accident airplane
takeoff from runway 19 right in a very nose high attitude. One
witness stated that the airplane was going off of the left side of
the runway before becoming airborne, headed toward a row of trees
on the east side of the airport. The airplane climbed over the
trees, turned back toward the south, and then descended into the
ground. The witnesses said that the engine sounded like it was
running at full power.
Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane
collided with terrain in a rail yard approximately 700 yards
southeast of the departure end of runway 19 right. The right wing
was crushed aft and bent upward to approximately mid-span, and had
extensive thermal damage. The left wing showed leading edge damage
near the wingtip and had fire damage. The empennage was mostly free
of impact damage. A post crash fire consumed most of the cabin
section.
On May 31, the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), along with
representatives of the FAA, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Teledyne
Continental Motors, revisited the accident site to further document
the airplane and its components.