History of Flight
On June 29, 2014, about 0810 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, registration N132K, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain while maneuvering in the traffic pattern to land on runway 19 at Big Creek Airport (U60), Big Creek, Idaho. The owner/pilot was seriously injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions; no flight plan was filed.
The pilot planned to fly with a group of airplanes to U60 for a fly-in breakfast. The airport is considered a "backcountry" airport in mountainous terrain requiring demanding approach procedures.
An eyewitness, who had already landed, observed the airplane during the last 20 to 30 degrees of its turn from base to final after it came around "the Hogback," a ridge parallel to the left downwind leg for runway 19. The witness noted the airplane appeared "really low and slow" for its position, estimating it was at about one-third the normal height for the base-to-final turn. The witness did not observe the flap configuration. The airplane pitched "immediately nose down and left" during the turn; the witness heard full engine power applied, and the airplane descended behind trees.
The pilot reported entering the traffic pattern and transitioning from base to final when the airplane departed controlled flight, descended rapidly into trees, and impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest inverted in a ravine about 800 ft short of the runway.
Personnel Information
FAA records indicated the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. The pilot reported about 1,267 total flight hours, including about 520 hours in the accident make and model. His most recent flight review was in December 2012, and his most recent third-class medical certificate was issued in June 2012. The pilot had flown into U60 once before, about two years earlier.
FAA records also showed that in September 2009, the pilot attempted a touch-and-go in the same airplane on a gravel bar in the Willamette River near Newberg, Oregon, resulting in the airplane becoming completely submerged.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1979 as Cessna serial number 18266782, originally registered N96609. The pilot purchased it in July 2007 and re-registered it as N132K in February 2008.
Between January and April 2008, the airplane underwent major alterations via multiple FAA Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs), including installation of a Continental IO-550 engine, a 3-blade propeller, canards, wingtip extensions (37-inch span increase), and oversized wheels and tires.
Meteorological Information
At 0751, the automated weather observation at McCall Municipal Airport, about 36 miles southwest, reported calm winds, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 8°C, dew point 6°C, and altimeter setting 30.08 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
U60 is at elevation 5,743 ft msl with a turf runway measuring 3,550 by 110 ft, designated 1/19. The Idaho Division of Aeronautics published standard operating procedures (SOPs) for U60, recommending a left-hand traffic pattern at 800 to 1,000 ft above field elevation (AFE), with a specific ground track including an upwind leg offset west-northwest, a downwind leg about 1/2 mile from the runway, and a base turn resulting in a final leg of about 1 mile. The SOP noted that the runway is not normally visible from downwind due to the Hogback Ridge. The prescribed pattern at 1,000 ft AFE with constant descent yields a descent slope of about 400 ft per nautical mile (3.7 degrees).
Wreckage and Impact Information
FAA personnel examined the site on July 1, 2014. The airplane came to rest inverted in a heavily wooded area with trees about 50 ft tall; multiple tree fragments were on top. The wreckage was tightly contained with all major components accounted for. A ground scar consistent with engine and propeller impact was adjacent. The right wing was fracture-separated at the root; the left wing remained attached. The nose landing gear was found about 40 ft forward. All engine controls were in the full forward position. The flap control handle was up, but the flap indicator needle was near 40 degrees down.
At recovery, the left flap was extended about 15 degrees; the right flap was wedged at about 15 degrees. Flight control continuity was established for all surfaces. The engine showed no pre-impact anomalies; crankshaft rotation produced compression and sparks. The propeller was fracture-separated with all three blades exhibiting S-bending and twisting. No pre-impact fuel system anomalies were found. No pre-impact mechanical failures or deficiencies were observed.
Additional Information
The STC modifications significantly altered the airplane's configuration. Four of the five performance-related STCs had POH supplements, but the canard STC (SA485SW) had none. The engine STC supplement limited maximum flap extension to 35 degrees, though the cockpit indicator showed "FULL" (original was 40 degrees). The wingtip extension STC reduced Vne from 179 to 157 KIAS; the airspeed indicator had not been updated but had an annotation. Multiple STCs provided conflicting performance data (climb speeds, stall speeds, etc.). The STC supplements were not coordinated with each other; no compatibility testing was documented.
Marketing materials for the King Katmai conversion (the combined modifications) advertised stall speeds as low as 31 knots and takeoff/landing distances of 290 ft, but these were not supported by FAA-approved data.
The pilot's written statement indicated he descended into downwind, performed pre-landing checks, slowed to 60 knots, lowered flaps to 40 degrees, and entered a steep turn to final while attempting to slip. He reported the indicated airspeed dropped to 25 knots (stall speed about 38 knots) and initiated recovery with full power and level wings, but the airplane departed controlled flight.