Accident Details
On March 29, 2017, at about 1325 eastern daylight time, a Cessna R182, registration N2383C, was substantially damaged after impacting a fence while attempting to depart from Atwell Airport (1NC2) in Mooresville, North Carolina. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was destined for Riley Creek Airport (12TN) in Kingston, Tennessee. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Actions
According to the pilot, the airplane had last been flown in November 2016. On the morning of the accident, he moved the airplane out of the hangar, washed it, and performed a preflight inspection using the manufacturer's checklist. He was particularly careful checking for bird nests or other hazards due to the 4-month inactivity. He found the airplane in good condition with no issues. After a business meeting, he returned to the airplane that afternoon, inspected it again, and found no discrepancies. He and his passenger boarded with a few personal items and no baggage. After removing and stowing the gust lock, he started the engine without difficulty, let it warm up for several minutes, then back taxied on the turf runway to the beginning of runway 36 for a takeoff to the north.
Prior to takeoff, the pilot performed an engine run-up, describing it as "everything seemed normal, the engine sounded fine." During the takeoff roll, as the airplane reached a point about 1,200 feet down the runway where it would normally lift off, he pulled back on the yoke, and the airplane "didn't want to fly." The airspeed was "close to 60 knots." He did not recall any engine instrument indications and noted the engine sounded normal. Realizing the airplane was not going to take off and a collision appeared imminent, he advised his passenger to prepare for impact. As the airplane approached a fence beyond the departure end, he pulled back on the yoke; the airplane lifted off, flew over the fence, then descended and struck another fence before coming to rest in the driveway of his residence. The pilot then turned off the master switch and the fuel selector. After the accident, he noticed the flaps were in the "up" position but recalled they were "down" when he started the takeoff roll.
The turf runway at 1NC2 was 1,700 feet long by 60 feet wide, at an elevation of 830 feet mean sea level. The pilot reported the turf had recently been mowed and the grass was "very short."
Aircraft Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the right wing was crushed and bent aft, outboard of the wing strut. The right aileron and flap were damaged. The left wing was crushed aft near its root. The outboard section of the right horizontal stabilizer sustained impact damage consistent with striking a fence post, and the right elevator balance horn was fractured and nearly separated. The firewall and forward fuselage were buckled.
Engine Examination
A National Transportation Safety Board investigator examined the engine. The two-bladed propeller remained attached to the crankshaft; one blade exhibited an s-bend and was twisted, the other was bent aft about 50 degrees, both with chordwise scratching. The carburetor was attached; the intake system was partially attached and clear of obstructions. The carburetor finger screen was absent of debris, the single plastic float was intact, and the bowl contained about 2 ounces of clean, blue-colored fuel with no water or contaminants. The accelerator pump operated manually and pumped fuel from the outlet line. The fuel gascolator bowl also contained about 2 ounces of clean, blue-colored fuel with no water or contaminants.
Six top spark plugs were removed. Their fine-wire electrodes showed normal wear per Champion Check-A-Plug chart. Nos. 1, 3, and 6 electrodes had surface rust on the circumferences; Nos. 2 and 5 were dark gray; the others gray. Cylinder rocker covers were removed; the crankshaft was rotated by hand. Compression and suction were observed on cylinders 2, 4, 3, and 5, and valve action was correct on all cylinders. Cylinder 5 pushrods were impact damaged. Cylinders 1 and 6 were examined with a lighted borescope; no anomalies were noted other than scoring on cylinder walls. Ignition harness leads were damaged and/or severed by impact. The dual magneto produced spark on all leads when the crankshaft was rotated manually.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued October 28, 2015. A review of his logbook showed he had accrued 986 total hours of flight experience, of which 90 hours were in the accident airplane, as of January 16, 2017.
Aircraft maintenance records indicated the most recent annual inspection was completed on September 10, 2016, about 19 flight hours prior to the accident. The engine had accrued 1,822 hours since new.
Weather and Performance Data
At 1320, the reported weather at Statesville Municipal Airport (SVH), about 10 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, included wind from 080 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 22 degrees Celsius, dew point 11 degrees Celsius.
The pilot reported the airplane's gross weight at the time of the accident was 2,727 lbs. According to takeoff performance data in the pilot operating handbook for the make and model, at a gross weight of 2,800 lbs, at 20 degrees Celsius, at 1,000 feet msl pressure altitude, the required ground roll for a turf runway was about 840 feet, assuming flaps were set to 20 degrees extension.
An electronic engine monitor was retained and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory. Review of downloaded data revealed that the accident takeoff was not recorded.