Accident Details
On July 25, 2015, about 0815 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A188B, registration N731MB, was substantially damaged when it struck a power line and impacted terrain near Albertson, North Carolina. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The flight was conducted as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 137 agricultural application flight.
Pilot Account
The pilot reported that he was departing with full fuel tanks and 105 gallons of spray mixture, a lighter load than the previous day. A preflight inspection and engine run-up revealed no anomalies. He initiated takeoff from the turf runway with wing flaps extended 10°. The airplane lifted off at about 70 mph, and at 85 mph the pilot established a "shallow" climb. As the airplane neared the end of the runway, it began to lose altitude. The left main landing gear impacted a power line, and the airplane subsequently descended into terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Postaccident Examination
A law enforcement officer who responded to the accident noticed the smell of alcohol around the pilot and administered a breathalyzer test about 45 minutes after the accident. The result was a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.07 gm/dL. The pilot was then taken to the police station, where breathalyzer tests conducted about 1 hour and 45 minutes after the accident showed BAC levels of 0.05 and 0.04 gm/dL.
Postaccident examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the intake manifold was damaged during the accident sequence. Spark was produced by each magneto, and piston movement was observed on all cylinders when the propeller was rotated by hand.