Accident Details
On October 19, 2016, about 0725 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172C, registration N1827Y, impacted terrain during an attempted return to the airport after takeoff from George T. Lewis Airport (CDK) in Cedar Key, Florida. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot was not injured, and the two passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, during takeoff from runway 05, the airplane "wasn't climbing" as he attempted to climb "out of ground effect." At an altitude of about 100 feet above ground level, the pilot attempted to return to the airport and land on runway 23. The airplane descended and impacted a swamp about 600 feet short of the runway. The pilot reported that the engine sounded normal and no issues other than the climb performance.
Two witnesses reported that the pilot had aborted a previous takeoff immediately before the accident takeoff. They stated that the engine was "sputtering" as it accelerated; when the airplane was approximately halfway down the runway, the pilot aborted the takeoff, then turned around and performed the accident takeoff. They noted that the accident takeoff roll was unremarkable.
Pilot Information
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot's certificate status was "revoked," effective July 2005. He had held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a private pilot certificate with privileges for airplane single engine sea. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued in January 2009, at which time he reported 1,800 total flight hours.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, single-engine, high-wing airplane was manufactured in 1962 and equipped with a Continental O-300D, 145-horsepower reciprocating engine. According to the pilot, its most recent annual inspection was completed on October 3, 2015, at 5,013 total aircraft hours and 1,031 hours since engine overhaul. The airplane's maintenance logbooks were not recovered.
Weather and Airport
CDK is located at an elevation of 11 feet mean sea level and surrounded by water. The airport has one asphalt runway, oriented 05/23, measuring 2,355 feet long by 100 feet wide. Weather at nearby Crystal River Airport at 0715 included wind calm, temperature 17°C (62°F), dew point 17°C (62°F), and an altimeter setting of 30.06 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Examination
An FAA inspector examined the airplane, which came to rest upright and partially submerged in shallow water. The outboard 3 feet of both wingtips were crushed aft and bent upward. Both ailerons were damaged. The fuselage was buckled on the right side near the cabin door, and the firewall was damaged. The airplane sustained further damage during recovery due to water immersion. The engine's crankshaft was rotated by hand via the propeller; compression was confirmed on all cylinders except the No. 4 cylinder. Valve action was observed on all rocker arms, but the exhaust valve on the No. 4 cylinder was stuck in the open position. Top spark plugs were removed; their electrodes were intact and slightly corroded with surface rust consistent with water immersion.
Weight and Balance
The pilot reported that the fuel tanks were nearly full, as the airplane had flown one 20-minute flight leg since the last full fueling. An 18-gallon auxiliary fuel tank installed in the baggage compartment was also full. First responders estimated 25 pounds of baggage in the unoccupied rear seat. According to the owner's manual, the maximum allowable gross weight is 2,250 pounds. The estimated weight at the time of the accident was 2,307 pounds, exceeding the maximum. The estimated center of gravity was 90.6 pound-inches, slightly forward of the maximum gross weight forward limit of 91 pounds-inches. Takeoff performance data for a maximum gross weight takeoff at sea level and 59°F indicates a ground roll of 825 feet and a distance of 1,430 feet to clear a 50-foot obstacle.