Accident Overview
On October 9, 2015, about 1230 mountain daylight time, a Quest Kodiak 100, registered as N153RW, impacted terrain during takeoff at Sheridan County Airport (KSHR), Sheridan, Wyoming. The pilot, the sole occupant, was seriously injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Witness Observations
Two airport mechanics who witnessed the accident reported that the airplane lifted off in an extreme nose-high attitude, then leveled off, before again assuming a nose-high attitude and descending to impact the ground about 1,500 feet south of runway 24.
Post-Accident Examination
The airport manager examined the airplane and noted that all flight controls moved freely. The elevator trim was set at ½ units nose up, flaps were fully deployed (35 degrees), and the engine condition lever was in the feathered position. The pilot had previously told the airport manager that the flight controls had jammed during takeoff.
On October 20, 2015, representatives from the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, and Quest Aircraft Company examined the airplane at Beegles Aircraft Service in Greeley, Colorado. Flight control continuity was traced from the cockpit controls to all flight control surfaces, and all controls moved freely. Floorboards were removed and checked for debris; none was found. The Hobbs meters (flight and block) read 23.9 and 28.2 hours, respectively. The altimeter was set to 30.06 inches of mercury (1021.5 millibars) and indicated 4,800 feet msl.
Data Recovery
Data cards from the airplane's multi-function and primary function displays (MFD, PFD) were retrieved and sent to the NTSB Vehicles Recorders Division for readout. According to the specialist's report, the cards contained only firmware version and navigation databases that did not record data; no accident-related data was recovered.
Pilot Statement
In an email, the pilot stated that another pilot trained to fly the airplane had placed a foam block between the horizontal stabilizer and elevator to protect people from bumping their heads. The pilot said he had forgotten about the block and did not notice it during preflight or pre-takeoff checks. He attributed the accident to the foam block, stating, "I believe that the foam block placed between the horizontal stabilizer and the elevator was the primary factor for the accident." The recovery crew, airport manager, and insurance adjuster did not recall seeing a red foam rubber block with a streamer. The airport manager noted that the pilot's wife removed personal belongings from the airplane on the evening of the accident.