Accident Overview
On April 9, 2009, at approximately 1615 central daylight time, a Cessna 182T, registration N1491D, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain after a loss of control during initial takeoff from a private airfield near Stigler, Oklahoma. The private pilot sustained serious injuries, while the two passengers received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane, owned and operated by a private individual, was beginning a 108-nautical-mile cross-country flight destined for Ardmore Municipal Airport (ADM), Ardmore, Oklahoma.
Pilot and Passenger Accounts
A passenger reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that during takeoff, the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The pilot lost control, and the airplane collided with terrain, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. In a telephone interview, the pilot could not recall the accident sequence. He stated that he normally set 20 degrees of flaps and took off to the north. He recalled obtaining a weather briefing but could not remember specific details.
Wreckage Examination
An on-scene examination was conducted by representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), FAA, AmSafe, and the Cessna Aircraft Company. The pilot had attempted a takeoff to the north on a grass strip with an unmeasured down slope. Ground scars 219 feet west of the strip were aligned on a heading of 315 degrees, and additional evidence of ground contact 660 feet farther west was aligned on a heading of 300 degrees. Three propeller strike scars were not aligned with the larger ground scar, consistent with the airplane being in a crab during ground contact. The airplane came to rest inverted. The outboard four feet of the left wing exhibited rearward crushing and was folded on top of the wing. Control continuity was established from the flight controls to the control surfaces. The flaps were found at 40 degrees. Damage between the left flap and left aileron was consistent with 40 degrees of flap at the time of left wing damage. The propeller remained attached to the engine, and all blades showed chord-wise scratches and leading edge polishing consistent with engine power at impact. The examination of the airframe and engine revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
Aircraft Systems
The airplane was equipped with four AmSafe airbag systems, none of which deployed during the accident sequence. An on-scene examination of the AmSafe system revealed no anomalies. The system's Electronics Module Assemblies (EMA) were removed and tested at AmSafe's facility in Phoenix, Arizona; the crash sensors and firing signals performed within approved tolerances.
Relevant Procedures
A review of the pilot's operating handbook (POH) indicated that flap deflections of 30 to 40 degrees are not recommended at any time for takeoff. Additionally, the POH stated that takeoffs into strong crosswinds are normally performed with the minimum flap setting necessary for the field length, to minimize drift angle immediately after takeoff.
Weather Conditions
At 1610, the automated weather reporting facility at Sallisaw Municipal Airport (JSV), about 20 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, reported winds from 170 degrees at 16 knots, gusting to 21 knots. At 1653, the facility at Davis Field Airport (MKO), about 29 nautical miles northwest, reported winds from 160 degrees at 21 knots, gusting to 29 knots, with a remark that at 1620 a peak wind gust from 150 degrees at 35 knots was recorded.