N1997Q

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 2, 2000, about 2020 central daylight time, a Cessna 177RG, N1997Q, registered to a private individual, collided with trees then the ground during takeoff from a private airstrip near Chipley, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private-rated pilot was fatally injured. A passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

According to the pilot's father-in-law who is the owner of the airstrip and is a pilot and airplane mechanic, the airplane was scheduled to land at his airstrip around 1700 hours but did not land until 1830 hours. After landing, his son-in-law immediately started flight planning for a flight to the Peachtree City Airport and called a flight service station. The pilot's father-in-law stated that the pilot was "so adamant about flying out that night." He advised the pilot that lighting at the departure end of the south runway and also a light on a fencepost half-way down the runway would orient him as he would be flying into darkness. The pilot "agreed to this but insisted that he could see the horizon." A flashlight was placed on a fencepost that bordered the west side of the runway about midpoint of the runway and a car was positioned at the departure end of runway 19, facing towards the approach end of the runway with "dim lights". He reported waiting 30 minutes or better for the pilot to perform a preflight run-up and get ready to depart. The father-in-law reported that while waiting for the flight to depart, he advised his daughter who was with him that the pilot was taking too long and "I didn't like this." Shortly after saying this he heard the engine rev and the pilot began the takeoff roll. After rotation the airplane banked 10-15 degrees to the left and, "he was halfway from the centerline of the runway to the edge of the trees with a gradual increased bank (max 15-20 degrees). Then the airplane went into a steep pitch and further increased bank." The airplane collided with a tree approximately 30 feet above ground level (agl), continued to climb up the tree then "turned from an almost vertical nose up to a vertical nose down attitude to the right and hit the ground." The father-in-law also reported that the engine sounded as if it were producing full power during the takeoff and when he arrived at the wreckage, the fuel selector valve was positioned to the "both" position. The father-in-law reported that at the time of the accident, the visibility was 2-3 miles and it was dark.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot was the holder of a private pilot certificate with the ratings airplane single engine land, instrument airplane. He was the holder of a third class medical certificate issued September 2, 1999, with the limitation that he wear corrective lenses.

Review of the pilot's pilot logbook that does not contain any carried forward flight time and begins with an entry dated August 28, 1999, and ends with an entry dated March 29, 2000, revealed that he had accumulated approximately 13 hours in the accident airplane. He logged a total of 6 night landings within the preceding 90 days, all in the category and class of the accident airplane and received his complex airplane endorsement on March 18, 2000. Additionally, he had logged a total of 17.7 hours and 16 landings in complex airplanes. The pilot had accumulated an additional 6.6 hours in the accident airplane since rental, as determined by the hour meter readings listed on paperwork located in the wreckage.

Review of paperwork located in the wreckage from the operator titled "Solo Minimums Retractable Complex SEL [single engine land] Revised 9/15/99" revealed the pilot was required to have in part, "10 hours retract/complex as PIC [pilot-in-command] with 25 TO [takeoff] and LDNS [landings]."

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Review of the maintenance records revealed that the airplane was inspected last in accordance with an annual inspection on July 26, 1999; the airplane had accumulated approximately 38 hours since the inspection at the time of the accident.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Review of a certified copy of a voice tape from the Gainesville, Florida, Automated Flight Service Station (GNV AFSS) revealed that the pilot phoned that facility three times. During the first contact, the pilot requested a standard weather briefing for a proposed IFR flight from the private airstrip near Chipley, Florida, to the Peachtree City-Falcon Field Airport, located in Atlanta, Georgia. The briefing specialist asked the pilot when he would be leaving to which the pilot responded that it depended on the weather that he was provided, in 30 minutes. The briefing specialist started the briefing but the pilot terminated it due to his inability to hear. The pilot phoned a second time to the GNV AFSS approximately 1 minute later and again requested a standard weather briefing. The pilot was provided information pertaining to a tornado watch in effect through 0300 UTC, current weather conditions at airports near the route of flight, the forecast near the destination airport, winds aloft, and Notice to Airman (NOTAM) information. The tape indicates that the pilot asked the specialist what the recommended route of flight was; the specialist recommended Marianna, Albany, Macon, then direct to the destination airport. The pilot then asked the specialist what the outlook for the morning with a proposed departure time of 0600 hours local. The specialist provided the forecast weather conditions for the departure area, near the midpoint of the flight, and near the destination airport. The specialist then responded, "you'd be better off to go tonight". The pilot filed an IFR flight plan with a proposed departure time of 2000 hours local. The pilot phoned a third time to the GNV AFSS and changed the proposed departure time to 2015 hours local.

AERODROME INFORMATION

The Orange Hill Airport, is located approximately 6 nautical miles south-southeast of Chipley, Florida, has one grass runway, and is private according to the airstrip owner. Examination of the airstrip revealed no illumination from buildings in the immediate vicinity of the runway. According to the "2000 Florida Airport Directory" which lists Florida's public and private airports and is published by the aviation office of the Florida Department of Transportation, the runway is designated as 01/19, and is 2,090 feet long. A fence parallels the west side of the runway, trees border most of the east side of the runway and also the west side of the runway from about midpoint to the departure end of the runway 19. Runway edge lights were not installed. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane crashed on the Orange Hill Airport. Examination of the accident site revealed tree branches on the ground on the left side of the runway approximately 1,640 feet from the approach end of runway 19. Damage to trees approximately 43 feet above ground level was noted adjacent to the area where the tree limbs were found on the runway. An approximate 1-inch diameter tree limb was observed to have 45 degree cuts at both ends.

The main wreckage was located upright on a magnetic heading of 308 degrees approximately 1,884 feet from the approach end of runway 19 with the empennage elevated at an approximate 25-degree angle. The main wreckage was in a clearing approximately 150 feet east of the runway centerline. All components necessary to sustain flight were attached to the airplane. The nose landing gear was collapsed; the left and right main landing gears were down and locked. Aileron, rudder, and elevator flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination of the left wing revealed the tip was displaced up approximately 4 inches and chordwise crushing was noted for a distance of approximately 42 inches inboard from the tip. Scratches were noted on the lower left wing skin. Examination of the right wing revealed chordwise leading edge crushing for a distance of approximately 75 inches inboard from the tip. The tip was displaced up; no scratches were noted on the lower right wing skin. A compression wrinkle was noted on the fuselage at the rear bulkhead. Scratches were noted on the right side of the fuselage from the aft door-post extending aft to the leading edge of the right horizontal stabilator. No scratches were noted on the left side of the fuselage. The leading edge of the right horizontal stabilator exhibited impact damage and a semi-circular indentation on the leading edge near the inboard leading edge slot. Leaves were noted near the tip of the left horizontal stabilator. The stabilator trim actuator was measured and found to be outside normal limits. A total of 14 gallons of fuel were drained from the left and right fuel tanks, 3 gallons were drained from the left fuel tank and 11 gallons were drained from the right fuel tank. Approximately 4 ounces of fuel were drained from the right header tank and approximately 12 ounces of fuel were drained from the left header tank; no contaminants were noted. The pointer end of the fuel selector valve was broken. Examination of the landing light bulb revealed that the filament was stretched. The left and right wing navigation light bulb filaments were broken and were not stretched. The gascolator bowl was impact damaged; the screen was clean. The auxiliary fuel pump operated when using an alternate power supply.

Cursory examination of the engine revealed fuel at the engine-driven fuel pump outlet, fuel pressure line, auxiliary fuel pump, and at the servo fuel injector. The inlet screen of the servo fuel injector was clean; the servo fuel injector was retained for further examination (see Tests and Research section of this report). Six of the eight ignition le...