N6319H

On June 12, 2003, at approximately 1520 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182R, N6319H, was substantially damaged when it impacted a T-hangar during takeoff from Hobbs Industrial Air Park, Hobbs, New Mexico. The non-instrument rated private pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained minor injuries. The Civil Air Patrol, Inc., was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local glider towing flight that was originating at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed.

The pilot said he "thought he was performing a normal takeoff"; he was using a 20-degree incline to tow the glider. "All of a sudden he seemed to be in a 300 to 400 feet updraft or a gust of wind." He said he felt a "violent jerk on the rear of the aircraft," and his 50 knots indicated airspeed deteriorated to 40 knots [the airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook states that the flaps up, power off stall speed is 54 knots]. The pilot said a gust of wind blew him about 150 feet to the right of his takeoff ground path.

Several witnesses said that the glider launching operation appeared "normal." Shortly after takeoff, the tow airplane appeared to change its pitch to a high angle of attack, and then mush/stalled into a T-hangar. One witness said that he could see the whole top of the airplane's wing.

Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that both wings were bent and wrinkled, and both the fuselage and empennage were bent and wrinkled.

One of the Civil Air Patrol instructors had signed the pilot off for glider towing several days prior to the accident. During the 4 days prior to the accident, the pilot had successfully completed 24 tows. The density altitude was calculated to be 7,070 feet. The National Transportation Safety Board's form 6120.1/2 was never returned from the New Mexico chapter of the Civil Air Patrol. Several follow up calls were made with no success.