Five Souls Lost In Takeoff Accident

According to an NTSB Prelim, the start of a short flight in a Cessna 180 seemed a bit off right from the start, with the bird assuming an excessive pitch angle right at departure and heading off runway heading (toward obstacles).. and flying for only a short while before going down barely a half mile from the airport...

NTSB Identification: ANC11FA037
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, May 27, 2011 in Chugiak, AK
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N4955A
Injuries: 5 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On May 27, 2011, about 1014 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna 180, N4955A, collided with terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from the Birchwood airport, Chugiak, Alaska. The airplane received substantial damage as a result of the impact and a post crash fire. The airplane was registered to the pilot, and operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The certificated private pilot and four passengers were killed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was enroute to Seldovia, Alaska.

Several witnesses stated that they saw the accident airplane takeoff from runway 19 right in a very nose high attitude. One witness stated that the airplane was going off of the left side of the runway before becoming airborne, headed toward a row of trees on the east side of the airport. The airplane climbed over the trees, turned back toward the south, and then descended into the ground. The witnesses said that the engine sounded like it was running at full power.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane collided with terrain in a rail yard approximately 700 yards southeast of the departure end of runway 19 right. The right wing was crushed aft and bent upward to approximately mid-span, and had extensive thermal damage. The left wing showed leading edge damage near the wingtip and had fire damage. The empennage was mostly free of impact damage. A post crash fire consumed most of the cabin section.

On May 31, the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), along with representatives of the FAA, Cessna Aircraft Company, and Teledyne Continental Motors, revisited the accident site to further document the airplane and its components.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov