Accident
On September 2, 2011, about 1650 Pacific daylight time, a Consolidated Aeronautics, Inc., Lake LA-4-200 Buccaneer, registration N80033, sustained substantial damage during impact with terrain on initial climb after takeoff from Lampson Field Airport, Lakeport, California. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant and owner, received serious injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was filed.
A witness employed by an aircraft maintenance facility at the airport observed the pilot arriving via a Cessna 340, which departed immediately. The pilot performed a preflight inspection and engine run-up, which sounded smooth. During takeoff on runway 28, the engine continued to run smoothly but did not appear to produce full power. The airplane lifted off near the end of the runway, cleared trees at the departure end, then lost altitude and disappeared behind the tree line.
Another witness, the owner of the maintenance facility, also observed the takeoff. He noted that the engine was not turning to full takeoff power during the ground roll. The airplane lifted off but did not climb, barely cleared the trees, then banked right and nosed down out of sight. He and the first witness drove to the accident site, about half a mile from the runway end in a vineyard, and found the engine still running at high rpm. He shut off the fuel to stop the engine.
Due to his injuries, the pilot could not provide a written statement until January 8, 2012. He reported that the before-takeoff engine run-up was normal and that the engine developed normal full power on takeoff. About 100 feet above ground level, he noted a slight change in power with insufficient runway remaining to abort. Subsequently, the engine lost most all power, and he made a forced landing in the vineyard.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land and sea, instrument airplane, and helicopter. His most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on December 21, 2010. He reported a total flight time of about 8,300 hours, with over 2,000 hours in Lake airplanes.
Aircraft Information
The airplane's maintenance logbooks were not located during the investigation. Based on records from the pilot and maintenance personnel, the most recent annual inspection was completed on August 17, 2010, at a total time of about 501 hours. At the time of the accident, the total time was about 508 hours.
The pilot reported that the airplane was for sale. On May 21, 2011, he flew it from Napa, California, to Lampson Field to meet a prospective buyer. After a 2-hour flight with several landings, he left the airplane at the maintenance facility for repair of occasional plugging of fuel injectors with a fine particle and a plugged fuel drain. Repairs were made, but a June 10, 2011 test flight revealed occasional power loss from a fouled plug or injector. The maintenance facility recommended overhaul of the fuel servo and fuel flow divider. After overhaul and reinstallation, the pilot conducted a test flight immediately prior to the accident flight, during which the airplane performed normally.
Work orders from the maintenance facility listed discrepancies and corrective actions from May 24, 2011, onward, including cleaning spark plugs and fuel injectors, replacing a fuel drain line, and addressing a charging system issue. Compression checks showed low values on cylinders #2, #3, and #4, but the pilot declined corrective action at that time. Later work included overhauling the fuel servo and flow divider, installing new fuel injector lines, and complying with an airworthiness directive. On August 22, 2011, the pilot test flew the airplane and reported that the engine ran fine but the propeller was surging. On the morning of the accident, he flew again and reported the engine was running great.
Weather and Airport Information
At 1656, the reported weather at Ukiah Municipal Airport, about 15 nautical miles northwest, included wind from 270 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 36°C, dew point 1°C, and altimeter setting 29.80 inches of Mercury.
Lampson Field Airport has one paved runway, 10/28, which is 3,600 feet long. There is a flat, mowed grassy area extending about 950 feet from the departure end of runway 28, beyond which is an orchard with trees about 20 feet tall.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane at the accident site. The leading edge of the left wing was damaged from the sponson to the wing tip, while the right wing sustained minimal damage. The fuselage was torn on the left side near the cabin middle and bent upward aft of the cabin. The windshield and both clamshell doors were separated, and the cabin roof was displaced aft. The empennage was intact and undamaged. The engine pylon was bent to the right, but the engine and propeller remained in place and appeared undamaged. The main fuel tank was intact and contained clean, blue fluid consistent with aviation fuel. The throttle control was torn from its mounting; the mixture, propeller, and alternate air controls were intact with continuity confirmed, but their positions during the accident could not be determined due to pylon bending.
On October 19, 2011, the engine was examined under NTSB supervision. Top spark plugs were removed, magneto leads disconnected, and the engine manually rotated. Thumb compression was obtained on all four cylinders, and spark was produced at all ignition leads. Throttle control continuity was established from cockpit to engine, but the throttle cable attach bracket at the top of the engine pylon was found separated with a bright fracture surface, likely from impact.