Cessna 180 N4955A

Summary

On 27 May 2011 at about 18:14 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N4955A was involved in an accident near Chugiak, Alaska, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 2011 at 18:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Chugiak, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Birchwood Airport (PABV)

Coordinates

61.4147, -149.5067

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N4955A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chugiak → Seldovia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC11FA037

5 people died.

The pilot's loss of control of the airplane during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in make and model, his lack of currency in FAA required takeoffs and landings, and his excessive loading of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.