Cessna 175A N6884E

Summary

On 26 April 2003 at about 18:10 local time, a Cessna 175A registered N6884E, operated by Robert L. Buckley, Jr., was involved in an accident near Colo. Springs, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 April 2003 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Colo. Springs, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Meadow Lake Airport (00V)

Coordinates

38.9458, -104.5697

Aircraft

Cessna 175A

Registration

N6884E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert L. Buckley, Jr.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colo. Springs → Crawford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN03LA073

Nobody was injured.

the stuck open exhaust valve on the engine's number 2 cylinder, the pilot's improper preflight planning, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident were the low altitude flight maneuver performed, the low airspeed, the tailwind, the high density altitude, and the inadvertent stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported on takeoff having a normal acceleration and run. The pilot said, "The airplane uncharacteristically failed to produce additional RPMs once airborne." The pilot determined that he would have to bring the airplane back for landing. The pilot said he initiated a left turn to crosswind and lowered an additional 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot said that it was at this point that he was near minimum controllable airspeed. The airplane started a slow descent. The pilot said he turned the airplane from crosswind to aim it back toward the center of the airport. The pilot said, "As I rolled level I noted the airspeed indicator at 40 miles per hour, which I maintained all the way down to touchdown in a stable descent." The pilot said that at approximately 20 feet above the ground, he pulled back slightly on the yoke in an attempt to flare the airplane. The right wing dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground, bounced, and went inverted. An examination of the airplane's engine showed the number 2 cylinder exhaust valve stuck in the open position. No other anomalies with the airplane were found. The density altitude for the area at the time of the accident was 8,133 feet. The pilot reported the winds on takeoff as 250 degrees at 8 knots. An examination of the engine logbook showed that 9 months earlier, the number 2 cylinder exhaust valve was found stuck open after an aborted takeoff. The valve was unstuck and an engine run and test flight was conducted. From the time of the aborted takeoff incident to the time of the accident, the airplane logged approximately 2 hours total time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.