History of Flight
On September 7, 2009, at about 1849 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna P206B airplane (registration N206ST) was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain after takeoff from Truckee-Tahoe Airport (TRK) in Truckee, California. The aircraft was registered to Trolan Enterprises LLC of Missoula, Montana, and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and her three passengers sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of San Jose, California.
A witness, a rated pilot located on the ramp area, reported observing the airplane take off from runway 19. The witness stated the airplane was not gaining altitude, roughly 100 feet per minute or less. It appeared the pilot was executing the left turn noise abatement departure procedure and had completed an approximate 270-degree left turn. As the airplane was in line with runway 28, the witness observed the left wing drop about 40 to 60 degrees, followed by a partial recovery before entering a knife edge and descending toward terrain.
A second witness adjacent to the accident site reported seeing the airplane very low to the ground. The airplane banked with left wing down, then quickly banked back with right wing down, losing altitude quickly. The witness said the airplane impacted the ground on its nose and right side.
A passenger seated in the right front seat reported that prior to takeoff the pilot performed an engine run-up and noticed nothing irregular. The pilot proceeded to take off on runway 19. The passenger stated the climb was normal until the airplane suddenly pitched upward. The pilot leveled the airplane and the right wing dipped. As the pilot leveled a second time, the left wing dipped and the airplane impacted the ground.
The pilot stated in post-accident interviews that she did not recall anything about the accident flight or sequence.
Meteorological Information
At 1850, recorded data from the automated weather observation station indicated wind from 260 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 19°C, dew point -2°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of Mercury. Using the reported conditions and airport elevation, the density altitude was calculated to be about 7,605 feet.
Airport Information
Truckee-Tahoe Airport operates under class G airspace. Its field elevation is 5,900 feet mean sea level. The airport has two asphalt runways: 10/28 and 1/19. Runway 19 is 4,650 feet long and 75 feet wide with a 0.2 percent gradient.
The airport has a voluntary noise abatement program. The Truckee Airport Fly Quiet Pilot's Guide states, in part, "use best angle (Vx) for first 500 feet...avoid shallow climbs and gain as much altitude as safely possible before leaving the airport environment." For runway 19 departure, the "alternate left 225 (low powered aircraft in high density altitude conditions)" procedure states: "after departure, turn left 225 degrees to a heading of 335 degrees. Then join the Bypass departure." The Runway 28 Bypass Departure procedure states: "at the end of runway 28, turn to 300 degrees for 0.8 nm to a highway 267 bypass/railroad track intersection. Then resume own navigation."
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the airplane came to rest inverted. All major structural components were at the accident site. The empennage, wings, and forward fuselage area were structurally damaged. The left and right main landing gears were bent upward near the fuselage structure. Twenty items were removed from the baggage compartment and seating area, totaling about 321 pounds.
Tests and Research
Examination of the recovered airframe showed the fuselage was significantly bent and buckled upward throughout its length. The left and right wings were removed by recovery personnel. The right wing was intact and buckled at the flap aileron junction. The left wing exhibited buckling throughout its upper portion.
Flight control cable continuity was established from ailerons to wing roots and from doorposts to controls. Continuity was established from rudder and elevators forward to where cut by recovery personnel, and from the aft fuselage where the empennage separated forward to the pedestal. All cable separations were made by recovery personnel.
The flap actuator measured at 0 degrees, corresponding to the full "UP" position.
Power was applied to the stall warning horn wiring at the doorpost; the horn functioned normally. When power was applied to the stall-warning switch, the horn did not actuate. Rock and dirt debris were observed within the switch. The switch was retained for further examination.
At Cessna Aircraft facilities in Wichita, Kansas, under FAA supervision, the stall-warning switch produced erratic electrical performance when operated manually. Internal switch contacts showed some debris and dark discoloration. The examination concluded that erratic performance "may be attributed to the presence of low conductivity dirt particles adhering to the contact button surfaces within the switch."
No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation of the recovered airframe.
Examination of the recovered engine revealed it was intact and undamaged. The top spark plugs, fuel pump, and rocker box covers were removed. The crankshaft was manually rotated via propeller; rotational continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. Thumb compression was obtained on all six cylinders. The left and right magnetos produced spark on all ignition leads when the crankshaft was rotated. The propeller was intact with all blades exhibiting multidirectional scratches and gouges, leading edge damage, and decreased pitch twists.
No mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation and power production.
Using reported and estimated weights of the pilot and passengers, aircraft empty weight, full fuel, and baggage weight, a Cessna representative calculated the weight and balance. The airplane was within center of gravity limitations. Estimated weight at the time of the accident was about 3,396 pounds; maximum gross weight was 3,600 pounds.
A hand-held GPS (Garmin GPSMAP 496) was recovered and sent to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory for data extraction. The data showed a flight track from the day of the accident: following taxi to runway 19, the flight remained in the run-up area for about 2 minutes 22 seconds, then taxied onto runway 19 and proceeded to take off. The data depicted the airplane entering a climbing left turn to an altitude of 6,363 feet msl. During the climb, leg speed fluctuated between 77 and 92 miles per hour. The last recorded GPS position was about 0.31 miles southwest of the accident site at 6,363 feet msl and a leg speed of 89 miles per hour.