NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 21, 2003, about 1710 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182G, N3236S, collided with terrain while departing from a private grass airstrip 16 miles northeast of Santa Maria, California. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact and post crash fire. The personal cross-country flight departed Santa Maria, en route to Pacoima, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 34 degrees 59 minutes north latitude and 120 degrees 11 minutes west longitude.

The private pilot was departing from his private grass airstrip about 1710. The pilot had been utilizing this airstrip for more than 20 years. A witness heard the engine of an airplane that she assumed was her neighbor. She expected to see the airplane fly over her ranch as always. The witness instead heard a crash and saw a plume of black smoke in the area of the accident site.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed the private pilot held ratings for single engine and instrument airplane.

The pilot held a third-class medical certificate that was issued on August 3, 2002. It had the limitations that the pilot must wear corrective lenses for distant and possess glasses for near vision.

No current personal flight records were located for the pilot, and the aeronautical experience listed in this report was obtained from a review of the airmen FAA records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City. These records indicated a total time of 2,000 hours with 50 hours logged in the last 6 months. The pilot completed a flight review on October 3, 2001.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Cessna 182G, serial number 18255736, and was owned and operated by the pilot. A diligent search to locate the maintenance records on the engine, propeller, and airframe was conducted. Family and friends were unable to document any maintenance history on the airplane, except the annual inspection, which was completed on January 16, 2003.

The airplane had a Teledyne Continental Motors O-470 engine, serial number 47428-6-L. Total time on the engine at the last annual inspection was undetermined.

Investigators were unable to locate any fueling records for the accident airplane. During the interview with the wife of the pilot, she said that the pilot owned a refueling trailer and bought his fuel from "the ARCO station down the street."

A review of FAA aircraft records did not reveal any documentation to support the use of automobile fuel (Auto Gas).

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The closest official weather observation station was Santa Maria, California (SMX), which was located 16 nautical miles (nm) northeast of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 242 feet msl. A routine aviation weather report (METAR) for SMX was issued at 1651. It stated: skies clear; visibility 10 miles; winds from 290 degrees at 15 knots; temperature 59 degrees Fahrenheit; dew point 45 degrees Fahrenheit; and altimeter 30.11 InHg.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The airstrip was located on a private ranch, owned by the pilot. The runway was a 1,200 by 50-foot dirt/grass strip that was oriented on a magnetic bearing of 050/230 degrees. On the north side of the runway edge were bushes that were from 6 to 20 feet in height. The south side of the runway had bushes that were 6 to 12 feet in height. At the end of the runway was a row of bushes that were about 10 to 12 feet in height. All of the bushes and trees in the area of the runway environment were overgrown. One hundred feet of the eastern end of the runway sloped uphill and appeared to be unusable.

Starting about 800 feet from the departure end of the runway were three separate tracks that began in the middle of the runway. About 4 feet separated the individual tracks, and the total width of the tracks was about 8 feet. The tracks veered towards the left side of the runway. The tracks were at its closest point to the bushes on the left side of the runway about 200 feet from the departure end.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

About 195 feet from the end of the departure end of runway there were bushes with broken branches and twigs. At 181 feet from the departure end of the runway two small pieces of red colored glass, curved in shape and dimensionally similar to a navigation light, were on the south side of the runway. The bushes along the south side of the runway continued to display fresh broken twigs and small branches, which started at a height of 6 feet and continued to increase in height to the end of the runway.

At the departure end of the runway in the southwest corner there was a bush that appeared to have been trimmed flat about 10-12 feet high. This flat cut was located on the north side of the bush closest to the centerline of the runway.

A line of trees was 75 feet west of the departure end of the runway and ran perpendicular to the centerline. The tree tops appeared to be 20 to 30 feet higher than the bushes that were located at the end of the runway. There was no evidence of damage to the trees.

There were four severed/damaged trees 370 feet from the departure end of the runway on a magnetic bearing of 218 degrees. The trees were mature oaks and varied in height from 20 to 30 feet. The trunk diameters were between 5 and 10 inches. The trees were on a slope of approximately 40 degrees. The trees had been sheared off starting about 20 feet in height, decreasing to about 4 feet while continuing downslope and moving closer to the main wreckage.

There were two undamaged trees located on each side of the damaged/severed trees. The distance was less than the accident airplane's wingspan.

At the main wreckage mass were large sections of freshly severed treetops, trunks, and limbs. Also within the debris field were ground scars, which started 50 feet upslope from where the main wreckage came to rest.

A majority of the airplane was consumed by post impact thermal damage.

The debris path was along a magnetic bearing of 176 degrees.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Santa Barbara County Coroner completed an autopsy. The FAA Toxicology and Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot. The results of analysis of the specimens were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and tested drugs.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Investigators from the Safety Board and the FAA examined the wreckage at the accident scene.

They removed the top spark plugs. All spark plugs were clean with no mechanical deformation. The spark plug electrodes were gray in color, which corresponded to normal operation according to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug AV-27 Chart.

Investigators were not able to manually rotate the engine due to extensive impact and thermal damage. The valves were present and exhibited no deformity but had been subjected to thermal damage.

Both magnetos were destroyed due to thermal damage, as well as impact damage.

The vacuum pump was destroyed due to impact damage.

The oil sump was breached and displayed thermal damage. The governor screen was destroyed and not recovered. The oil screen filter was also destroyed.

The fuel selector valve was not recovered and was consumed in the thermal meltdown of the cabin area.

The flap actuator was measured at 2 threads. The manufacture's representative reported this corresponded to the full up 0 degrees position. The elevator trim measured 1 3/8 inches. The representative determined this equated to 4.5 to 5 degrees tab up.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Safety Board investigator released the wreckage to the owner's representative.

NTSB Probable Cause

the pilot's failure to maintain proper runway alignment during the takeoff ground roll, which resulted in the left wing contacting the brush lining the runway edge. The combined effects of the brush and tree contact retarded the airplanes acceleration and resulted in the pilot's failure to attain an adequate airspeed in the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an inadvertent stall mush. The pilot's failure to maintain the surrounding areas of the runway was a factor in the accident.