History of Flight
On April 13, 2015, at about 1800 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 162, N30283, operated by the pilot as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, departed from Klenawicus Airfield, Shelter Island, New York, intending to fly to Republic Airport (FRG) in Farmingdale, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. Eyewitnesses reported that the airplane became airborne near midfield, then banked right and impacted the ground. No abnormalities were observed or heard before the impact. The pilot stated that after a preflight inspection and weight and balance calculation, he used a short field configuration, set the trim, applied maximum power, and released the brakes. At lift-off speed, the airplane climbed normally but immediately began an uncommanded right roll that did not respond to control inputs. He attempted to climb above trees before impact and suspected that the right aileron was not responsive.
Personnel Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and single-engine sea, as well as commercial and flight instructor certificates. His most recent FAA medical certificate was issued on October 22, 2013, with a class listed as "pending." At the time of the accident, he was utilizing his driver's license in lieu of a medical certificate. The pilot reported 18,997 total flight hours, with 41 hours in the accident aircraft make and model.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 162, serial number 16200094, was a light sport airplane with a high-wing, metal-covered structure, fixed tricycle landing gear, and two seats. It received a special airworthiness certificate on July 12, 2011, and was registered to SMC Aviation Incorporated on July 17, 2013, with the pilot listed as president. The airplane was powered by a Continental O-200D engine driving a McCauley propeller. Maintenance records showed an annual inspection on August 1, 2014, at 119.7 hours total time, and the most recent logbook entry on April 10, 2015, at 138.9 hours.
Meteorological Information
A weather observation from East Hampton Airport (HTO), about 8 miles southeast of the accident site, recorded at 1755: wind from 190 degrees true at 4 knots, visibility 40 miles, temperature 54°F, dew point 44°F, and barometric pressure 30.28 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Klenawicus Airfield was a privately owned airport without a control tower. It had one turf runway oriented north/south, 1,400 feet long and 200 feet wide, at an elevation of about 24 feet above mean sea level.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest on its main landing gear in a sparsely wooded area adjacent to the runway. An FAA inspector noted a smell of aviation fuel. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all surfaces, and the gust locks were stowed in the baggage compartment. The fuselage and wings were buckled, and the engine was canted but remained attached. The composite propeller blades showed minimal trailing edge delamination and no chordwise gouges.
Test and Research
NTSB personnel examined the engine at the manufacturer's facility. Impact damage was found on one engine mount leg, the oil sump, the right magneto ignition harness, and the intake manifold. The engine was started and operated in a test cell without hesitation, accelerating and decelerating three times with no issues. Additionally, FAA and airframe manufacturer personnel examined the airframe. All flight control components were accounted for, and cable continuity was confirmed, though the right aileron control cable connected to the right cockpit control stick exhibited tensile overload.