Pilot Debrief

CESSNA A188B near Albertson, NC — 2015-07-25

Final reportERA15LA281
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Date
2015-07-25
Location
Albertson, NC, USA
Airport
NONE
Aircraft
CESSNA A188B
Registration
N731MB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from wires during takeoff due to his impairment from alcohol use.

NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on the agricultural application flight with full fuel tanks and 105 gallons of spray mixture onboard, which he stated was a lighter load than the previous day. He described the airplane's climb as "shallow," and stated that, as the airplane neared the end of the runway, it began to descend. The left main landing gear impacted a power line and the airplane subsequently descended into terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. A breathalyzer test performed about 45 minutes after the accident revealed that the pilot’s blood alcohol content was 0.07 gm/dL. At the time of the accident, the pilot's blood alcohol content was likely 0.07 to 0.10 gm/dL, which would have been impairing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff due to loss of altitude near runway end.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 6 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents6

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