History of Flight
On October 1, 2008, at about 1140 Alaska daylight time, a Cessna U206C airplane, N29109, was destroyed following a loss of engine power and collision with a building during takeoff initial climb from Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The airplane was operated by the commercial pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed.
The pilot had contacted Kenai Flight Service Station (FSS) earlier that morning for a weather briefing and filed a flight plan for a route from Homer, Alaska to Whitehorse, Canada, with stops at Merrill Field and Northway, Alaska. After departing Homer, the pilot arrived at Merrill Field and refueled at the Chevron Aviation Fuel station. A witness noted that the pilot did not check the fuel tank sumps for water or contamination before entering the airplane. The airplane started and taxied to runway 25 without stopping before beginning its takeoff run.
Witnesses reported that after takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 200-300 feet when the engine began cutting out. The airplane remained in a nose-high attitude and rolled into a steep left turn toward the intersecting runway. The airplane entered a steep descent and impacted the roof of a building adjacent to the airport.
According to FAA tower transcripts, the pilot received taxi and takeoff clearance for runway 25 with a right downwind departure. At 1140, the tower controller observed the airplane in a left turn and asked the pilot's intentions. The pilot reported an engine failure, and the controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway. The airplane descended steeply and impacted a building about 500 feet southwest of runway 25. Fire and rescue were called.
Injuries to Persons
The pilot and sole passenger died in the accident and postcrash fire.
Damage to Aircraft
The airplane was destroyed by impact with a building and terrain, and mostly consumed by a postcrash fire.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a commercial airplane pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multi-engine land, airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued on October 10, 2007, with a restriction that he must have available glasses for near vision. No personal pilot logbooks were discovered. According to the latest FAA application for his medical certificate dated September 25, 2007, the pilot reported 4,550 hours of flight experience, with 30 hours flown in the previous 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Cessna U206C, equipped with a Teledyne Continental IO-520 series fuel-injected engine. An annual inspection was completed on September 24, 2008, at which time the airplane had 4,582 hours since new and 987 hours since engine overhaul. No mechanical deficiencies were noted.
Meteorological Information
The Routine Aviation Weather Report (METAR) for Merrill Field at 1053 reported clear skies, calm wind, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 6 degrees C, dew point -2 degrees C, altimeter 29.78 inches of mercury.
Communications Information
Merrill Field has an air traffic control tower, and the pilot was in radio communications with the tower. The pilot was seen by a tower controller to deviate from his departure instructions and was asked his intentions. The pilot reported an engine out, and the controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 500 feet from the departure end of runway 25 at Merrill Field. The airplane impacted in an empty parking lot of a warehouse outside the airport boundary fence. The airplane struck the front roof line of the warehouse, creating a hole about 15 feet across. The left main landing gear separated and was stuck in the roof. The left cabin door also separated. The angle of impact from the roof line to the parking lot was approximately 40-50 degrees. The engine was liberated from the fuselage and came to rest about 50 feet away. The three-blade propeller broke off at the flange; one blade was freed from the hub. The propeller blades showed bending and scratching. The fuel tank selector was recovered and positioned on the right tank. The engine was examined and found to have no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded operation. The fuel sample from the refueling station was clear and free of contamination.
Tests and Research
According to tower transcripts, the elapsed time from taxi request to engine-out report was 3 minutes and 12 seconds. The fuel system consists of two vented wing tanks, reservoir tanks, a fuel selector valve, and pumps. The fuel vent system could not be examined due to postcrash fire destruction. Anecdotally, another operator of the same make and model reported a similar loss of engine power after takeoff due to an improperly positioned fuel selector. Testing with that operator's airplane showed that with the fuel selector in the off or intermediate position, the engine would quit due to fuel starvation after 3 to 4 minutes of simulated taxi and takeoff power.