Cessna 180 N1802C

Summary

On 26 May 1997 at about 19:42 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N1802C, operated by Emil H. Kindleberger, was involved in an accident near Freedom, Pennsylvania, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 May 1997 at 19:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Freedom, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Kindelberger (6G2)

Coordinates

40.6803, -80.2498

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N1802C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Emil H. Kindleberger

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC97FA099

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's premature lift off, and his failure to maintain proper runway alignment, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, while attempting to avoid an obstruction (telephone pole). Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot allowed the airplane's gross weight to be exceeded, his inadvertent use of carburetor heat, and a gusty crosswind condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was configured with a single seat, one set of controls, and with seat belts on the floor to haul parachutists. Also, it was loaded to an estimated gross weight of 2,834 lbs; the maximum certificated gross weight was 2,550 lbs. The pilot took off from a soft sod runway (rwy 9) with a crosswind component. About 12 miles south, the wind was reported to be from 020 deg at 9 gusting 18 kts. The pilot reported that during takeoff, the airplane was 'pushed to the right by a gust of wind.' He said that to avoid a telephone pole, he 'made a hard turn to the right, the airplane hit the ground and cartwheeled.' A parachutist seated on the floor next to the pilot, who held a commercial pilot certificate, stated the stall warning horn sounded from takeoff to ground contact. The carburetor heat was found in the 'CARB HEAT ON' position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.