N6510A

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 1, 2014, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N6510A, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Hampton Airfield (7B3), North Hampton, New Hampshire. The airline transport pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, destined for a private airport in Kingston, New Hampshire.

On the day of the accident, the airport was hosting its annual customer appreciation day. As a result, numerous witnesses observed the accident.

According to witness statements and video images, the pilot contacted the airport advisory frequency from a position approximately 5 miles west of 7B3. The airplane then overflew the south end of the airport and the pilot advised that he would be joining the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for "Runway 22." The pilot then advised that he was joining the base leg of the traffic pattern, and then reported that he was "landing south" without indicating the runway number.

The airplane landed normally, and subsequently shutdown at the fuel pumps, at 1023. The pilot then refueled the airplane with approximately 31 gallons of 100 LL aviation gasoline, which was completed at approximately 1036.

After starting the airplane and taxiing away from the fuel pumps, a witness observed a seat belt hanging out of the passenger door. The witness gained the pilot's attention and advised him about the seatbelt. The pilot then taxied to runway 02. Witnesses did not observe the pilot perform an run-up prior to turning onto the runway, and also noted that the flaps were partially extended before the takeoff roll began.

The airplane appeared to takeoff normally with the tailwheel coming off the surface of the runway first, followed by the main landing gear wheels. Comparison of video footage to known landmarks on the airport indicated that the ground run was approximately 890 feet. After liftoff, the airplane's angle of attack began to increase. One witness stated that as the angle of attack began to increase, the pilot's left hand reached for the glareshield, while another witness observed the pilot's left hand already on the glareshield as the angle of attack began to increase.

Approximately 320 feet later, the airplane's angle of attack was still increasing and the airplane's altitude was higher than a group of approximately 73 foot high trees that were located adjacent to the west side of the runway. Moments later, the airplane rolled and yawed to the left, the angle of attack decreased through a level flight attitude, to a steep nose down attitude, the engine rpm decreased "as if it was being throttled back to idle" and the airplane went out of view behind some trees. The sound of impact was then heard. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land, with commercial pilot privileges for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and type ratings for the B-707, B-720, and B-727. He had accrued approximately 20,050 total hours of flight time, 2,025 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013.

According to FAA records, the passenger did not hold any pilot certificates and no evidence of any flight training for the passenger was found during the investigation. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident aircraft was a four-place, strut braced, high wing airplane of conventional metal construction. It was equipped with conventional landing gear, and powered by a Continental Motors O-470-K, 230 horsepower engine, that was equipped with a two-blade, variable pitch, constant-speed propeller.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, it was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe reported weather at Portsmouth International Airport (PSM), located 6 nautical miles north of the accident site, at 1058, included: wind from 290 degrees at 6 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 3,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident aircraft was a four-place, strut braced, high wing airplane of conventional metal construction. It was equipped with conventional landing gear, and powered by a Continental Motors O-470-K, 230 horsepower engine, that was equipped with a two-blade, variable pitch, constant-speed propeller.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, it was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONExamination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck trees in a nose low, left wing down attitude, and then impacted the ground in a 42-degree nose low attitude, on an approximate magnetic heading of 220 degrees, before coming to rest. The smell of fuel was present, and multiple branches and broken tree limbs displayed evidence of propeller strike marks.

Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage was broken and bent in several places. The wings, which displayed crush and compression damage, were detached from their mounting locations, and approximately 2 feet of the outboard left wing was separated.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the cockpit, and the throttle control, mixture control, propeller control, and carburetor heat, were full in. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position, the stabilizer trim wheel was intact and the trim indicator, and jackscrew indicated that the stabilizer trim was approximately in the 0-degree (neutral) position. The flap handle for the wing flaps was in the 20-degree detent. The pilot and passenger seat tracks were equipped with seat stops, and displayed evidence of pullout and cracking which was consistent with the seats being in the locked position during the impact.

The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft and both propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller blades displayed evidence of S-bending, chordwise scratching, and leading edge polishing. The propeller governor remained attached to its mounting location, and displayed significant impact damage including impact separation of the governor control from the rest of the propeller governor.

The engine intake system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and several intake tubes were crushed, dented and bent. A portion of the intake system was separated from the rest of the intake system, and a portion remained attached to the carburetor. The exhaust system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and displayed crushing, bending, and tearing. All of the exhaust risers remained attached to their respective cylinders.

The magnetos remained attached to their respective mounting locations and sustained only minor damage. The crankshaft was rotated by hand, and both magnetos produced spark at all of their respective ignition leads. All of the spark plugs were present in their respective cylinders and were undamaged. When compared to the Champion Aviation Service Manual, all of the spark plugs displayed normal operating signatures.

The carburetor sustained damage consistent with impact damage; the idle stop adjustment screw installation point remained only partially attached. The carburetor remained attached to a portion of the intake system; however, the attach point had broken free from the rest of the intake system. Internal examination of the carburetor revealed that fuel consistent with 100 LL aviation gasoline was present in the float bowl. No contaminates were present in the inlet screen, and a check of the fuel in the carburetor bowl utilizing water finding paste did not indicate the presence of water. Submersion of the carburetor floats in a container of 100LL for 20 minutes did not reveal any air bubbles and the floats retained their buoyancy.

The oil sump remained attached to its mounting location and displayed impact damage. The oil pump gears, housing, and oil pressure relief valve displayed normal operating signatures. The oil filter remained attached to the oil filter adapter and displayed impact damage. There were no metallic particulates or contaminates discovered in the filter pleats and the oil cooler was undamaged.

All of the cylinders remained attached to the engine and the cylinders sustained only minor impact damage. Examination of the cylinders with a borescope revealed that the piston faces, valve heads, and cylinder bores, all displayed normal operating signatures.

The crankcase remained intact and displayed minor impact damage. The crankshaft remained intact and displayed impact damage to the propeller flange.

Thumb compression and suction was established on all cylinders, and all the valves, rocker arms, pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, and associated components were noted to operate when the crankshaft was rotated by hand. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONPilot

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the State of New Hampshire, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The reported cause of death was blunt impact injuries.

Toxicological testing of the pilot was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for ethanol, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs, with the exception of Diphenhydra...