Accident Summary
On June 2, 2009, at approximately 1820 central daylight time, a Cessna 140 (registration N76456) operated by a private pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 was substantially damaged during an aborted takeoff at Creve Coeur Airport (1H0) near St. Louis, Missouri. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had departed on runway 16 and entered a right traffic pattern for runway 25, a grass runway measuring 3,120 feet by 220 feet, intending to perform two additional landings. After an uneventful first landing, he back-taxied to the approach end of runway 25 for a second takeoff. Shortly after liftoff, at approximately 30 feet above the runway, the pilot heard a loud bang followed by repeated banging from behind his position. He immediately executed a landing, touching down with only about 50 feet of runway remaining. The airplane overran the end of the runway, crossed a taxiway and runway 16, and entered a wheat field. As it decelerated in the crop, the airplane nosed over, causing substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and aft fuselage. The propeller, spinner, engine mounts, both flaps, and the right aileron were also damaged.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that the upper half of the left inboard wing fairing was bent upward and aft. This one-piece aluminum fairing forms part of the trailing edge between the inboard edge of the flap and the fuselage. The fairing, secured to the upper and lower wing structure with screws, remained attached to the lower wing structure by its corresponding screws. However, none of the five upper screws were located, and the upper screw holes on the fairing sheet metal and their corresponding holes and nut-plates on the wing structure showed no damage.
Maintenance and Pilot Statements
The fairing had been removed during recent maintenance on the left flap assembly. The mechanic who performed the work stated that the fairing was reinstalled in the presence of several individuals, including the pilot, and that all screws were installed before the airplane was returned to service. The pilot reported that during his preflight inspection, he visually confirmed the screws were present but did not verify their security. The accident occurred during the second flight after the maintenance; the first flight, which took place within the hour, consisted of four landings at the same airport, and the airplane was refueled between flights.