Accident Details
On August 22, 2009, at 1303 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182H, registration N1921X, operated by Lincoln Sport Parachute Club, Inc., impacted terrain during departure from Browns Airport (NE69) in Weeping Water, Nebraska. The airplane was substantially damaged. Neither the airline transport pilot nor the four skydivers on board were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he used a short/soft field takeoff procedure when departing the soft, dry, 2,200-foot turf airfield. After becoming airborne, the airplane briefly settled back onto the runway. It became airborne again and settled back onto the runway a second time after losing ground effect due to down sloping terrain. During the second touchdown, the right main wheel separated from the landing gear strut, allowing the strut to dig into the ground. The airplane then spun around and came to rest upright.
Damage
The accident resulted in bent left and right wing spars, a bent fuselage aft of the passenger compartment, and a bent firewall.
Aircraft Examination
An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Inspector revealed no pre-existing mechanical anomalies.
Performance Considerations
The pilot's operating handbook (POH) for the Cessna 182 specifies that soft field takeoffs should be performed with 20 degrees of flaps by lifting the airplane off the ground as soon as practical in a slightly tail-low attitude, with acceleration in ground effect if no obstacles are present. Performance charts indicate that at maximum gross weight, the calculated ground roll is 730 feet, with 1,350 feet needed to clear a 50-foot obstacle. A 15 percent increase in ground roll distance is assessed for operation from a dry, grass runway. The density altitude at the time of the accident was approximately 2,195 feet.
Modifications and Weight
The accident aircraft was equipped with Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) modifications in the form of ART R1582 wing extensions and an engine conversion that allowed for an increased takeoff gross weight limit. According to the NTSB Form 6120.1 completed by the pilot, the airplane weighed 2,945 pounds at the time of the accident, five pounds under the maximum gross weight.