HAILEY, ID, USA
N3018A
Cessna 170B
The pilot initiated takeoff from runway 13, a 6,600 foot paved runway. Shortly after the aircraft became airborne, it veered left, flew low, gained enough altitude to cross the highway and flew over the power lines east of the highway, then clipped the trees and went nose in into the subdivision. The investigation revealed that the pilot departed with 20 degrees of flaps. According to the aircraft owner's manual, the use of flaps is not recommended for crosswind takeoffs. The reported winds were from 200 degrees magnetic at 7 knots. The calculated density altitude at the airport at that time was 7,630 feet.
On July 12, 1998, approximately 1242 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170B, N3018A, registered to and being flown by a private pilot, was destroyed upon ground impact shortly after takeoff at the Friedman Memorial airport, Hailey, Idaho. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions existed and a VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal, was to have been operated under 14CFR91, and was destined for Boise, Idaho, with a stop at Stanley, Idaho. At 1237, the pilot of N3018A was cleared by the Hailey ground controller to "taxi to runway one three, wind two one zero at eight, altimeter three zero two one, check density altitude." At 1239, the pilot of N3018A contacted the Hailey tower controller advising "departing runway one three to the north to Stanley." The controller then cleared the aircraft for takeoff on runway 13. At 1239, the pilot of N3018A again contacted the Hailey tower advising "one eight rolling, could you tell me which way to turn to go back north here?" At 1240, the tower controller replied "roger, I'll have you in a right turn out." This transmission was acknowledged by the pilot of N3018A, and no further radio communications took place. The two controllers (tower and ground) witnessed the aircraft departing. The tower controller reported observing the aircraft holding short at taxiway B-1. It was then cleared for takeoff. The controller reported that "he started his takeoff, was airborne at alpha three, then immediately veered left, flew low between the MLS elevation antenna and ramp section 3. He gained enough altitude to cross hwy 75, over the power lines east of the highway, then clipped the trees and went nose in into the subdivision east of the tower" (refer to attached statement). The ground controller reported that "when the aircraft became airborne it veered slightly left initially and then sharply left (eastbound). The aircraft climbed slowly and crashed into a housing area" (refer to attached statement). The pilot reported on the submitted Pilot/Operator Report (Form 6120.1/2) that he "departed at 1200 to [the] south" with a "90 degree crosswind" and a temperature of "85 degrees F." He continued reporting that he "Add[ed] full power smoothly full in," "[the] plane veered left - now I had a tailwind toward [the] park[ing] area with many parked private jets in my windshield." He then "made [an] attempt to groundloop but [the] plane was already skipping off [the] ground." He "decided to fly over [the] parked jets, cleared the jets but immediately behind were power lines." He "climbed higher to clear [the] wires - no airspeed left [and] had to lower nose." He then "hit top of trees [and] came down inverted into [the] windshield of [a] GMC truck parked in [a] driveway." The aircraft crashed in a residential neighborhood at a latitude and longitude of 43 degrees 30.56 minutes north and 114 degrees 17.82 minutes west respectively. The ground impact site was approximately 900 feet east of the runway centerline and approximately perpendicular to the 1500 foot displaced threshold for runway 13 (refer to photograph 1 and CHART I). The first noted evidence of impact was broken tree limbs observed at the top of a large, leafless, deciduous tree located slightly west of the ground impact site (refer to photograph 2). Minor scrape marks were noted along the metal roof of a garage situated further east of the tree. The aircraft came to rest in an inverted attitude at the intersection of a paved driveway and a residential street. A GMC truck parked in the driveway was destroyed (refer to photograph 3). Post crash examination by an inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Boise Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) revealed that the aircraft's flaps were extended in the 20 degree position (refer to photograph 4). Further examination by the FAA inspector and the Textron Lycoming representative revealed flight control continuity to all controls. Additionally, the throttle was found open approximately 7/8 inch, the mixture was found in the rich setting and fuel was found in the carburetor fuel bowl. The pilot reported on the submitted Pilot/Operator Report (Form 6120.1/2) that there was no mechanical malfunction during the accident. He further reported that "I believe (the) cause was excessive "P" factor coupled with (a) 90 degree crosswind." The elevation of the Friedman Memorial airport is 5,315 feet above sea level. The temperature, winds, and altimeter setting at 1245 local were 81 degrees F., winds from 200 degrees magnetic at 7 knots, and an altimeter reading of 30.21 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude at the airport at that time was 7,630 feet. The pilot's flight log was reviewed and was observed to open with a first flight on May 5, 1988. The last entry was dated April 11, 1998. This flight and 19 previous flights logged in the Cessna 170B aircraft (all in N3018A) were noted spanning a time period from the April 11, 1998, flight back to January 22, 1995. Ten flights in the aircraft were logged between January 22 and February 25, 1995, for a total of 16.0 hours. Nine flights in the aircraft were logged between June 22 and August 10, 1996, for a total of 12.2 hours. The April 11, 1998, flight was for a 1.0 hour duration. Additionally, 10.31 hours of tach time on the aircraft believed to be pilot flight time, was accrued between the April 98 flight and the accident. Accordingly, the pilot had logged a total of 11 hours flight time (all in N3018A) within the 90 days previous to the accident and 10 hours within the 30 days previous. The Cessna 170B owner's flight manual states: "The use of flaps is not recommended for crosswind take-offs." and "For unusually short field take-offs, apply 20 degrees flaps (second notch) prior to take-off." (refer to ATTACHMENT OM-I) Runway 13 at the Friedman Memorial airport is 6,602 feet in length, 100 feet in width, and paved.
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing factors were the pilot-in-command's failure to follow procedures by the improper use of the flaps, high density altitude conditions, crosswind conditions and the tree.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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