Pilot Debrief

CESSNA A188B near Marshall, MO — 2017-08-04

Final reportCEN17LA303
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Date
2017-08-04
Location
Marshall, MO, USA
Airport
MHL
Aircraft
CESSNA A188B
Registration
N3047J
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

The pilot's inability to accurately monitor the airplane's airspeed after takeoff due to an inoperative airspeed indicator, which resulted in the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and the subsequent aerodynamic stall/mush and degraded climb performance.

NTSB narrative

After takeoff for the agricultural application flight and when the commercial pilot reduced engine power to climb, the engine "surged." He increased the throttle, but the engine "surged" again. He subsequently applied full throttle, but he was unable to maintain a positive climb rate. The airplane gradually settled into a bean field off the end of the runway. The airplane impacted a fence before coming to rest in an adjacent field. The pilot stated that the airplane seemed to be "sagging" after takeoff but that the engine instrument indications appeared to be normal. Postaccident engine examination did not reveal evidence of any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the engine surging reported by the pilot could not be determined. According to the pilot, the airspeed indicator was inoperative at the time of the accident. It is likely that the pilot's inability to monitor the airspeed due to the lack of an operative airspeed indicator led to the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and the subsequent aerodynamic stall/mush and degraded climb performance.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after engine surged during initial climb.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 14 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents14

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