Cessna 185F N532PC

Summary

On 5 December 2004 at about 20:28 local time, a Cessna 185F registered N532PC was involved in an accident near Renton, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 December 2004 at 20:28

Classification

Accident

Location

Renton, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Renton Municipal (KRNT)

Coordinates

47.4931, -122.2158

Aircraft

Cessna 185F

Registration

N532PC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Renton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA05FA022

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control when the flaps became jammed/stuck in their full-down position during a takeoff from a touch-and-go landing. Factors include a worn/disconnected flap latch mechanism, and the flaps being unable to be retracted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After liftoff from a touch-and-go landing, the aircraft climbed to about 100 feet above the ground, whereupon the pilot transmitted that he had a problem. Although he did not specify what the problem was, the aircraft was seen entering what initially appeared to be a pilot-initiated left turn. Soon thereafter the aircraft's bank angle and pitch angle increased, and it subsequently descended into a commercial aircraft post-production parking ramp. Just prior to impact, the aircraft's bank angle had increased to more than 80 degrees, and it's nose was approximately 40 degrees below the horizon. Both a photo from a ramp security camera, and a post-accident inspection revealed that the flaps where in the full-down position at impact. Further investigation revealed that the flap latch inner pivot bushing and the rivet that retained it were missing. This resulted in the flap latch becoming detached from its pivot point within the handle, leaving no way for it to be disengaged from the flaps full-down notch in the flap ratchet plate, thus negating the possibility of flap retraction. It was also determined that the holes in the sides of the flap handle, wherein the inner pivot bushing rests, had both worn to an oblong shape. One of the holes, at the point of its greatest diameter, had worn to .337 inch oversize.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.