Accident Overview
On July 5, 2017, at 1655 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182T, registration C-GBFY, porpoised during the takeoff roll of a stop-and-go landing on runway 14 at Jackson County Airport-Reynolds Field (JXN), Jackson, Michigan. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were uninjured. The flight was operated by Brampton Flight Centre under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a training flight in visual meteorological conditions.
Flight Purpose and Sequence
The flight originated from Brampton Flight Centre in Caledon, Ontario, at about 1300, destined for JXN and then Gary/Chicago International Airport. The pilot was accruing flight time for a Transport Canada commercial pilot license. After arriving at JXN, the airplane touched down near the runway numbers with heavy braking consistent with a short field landing, then initiated a stop-and-go takeoff on runway 14, which is 4,000 ft by 100 ft with 80-foot trees about 2,600 ft from the departure end.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated in an initial report that during the takeoff roll, he called out "full power confirmed, temperature pressure in the green, airspeed alive." After reaching rotate speed of 55 knots, the airplane lifted off and climbed to about 50 ft above ground level, then remained level for about a second with no indication of an aerodynamic stall. He noted a transient failure of several Primary Flight Display instruments (red X's). The airplane pitched down and landed nose wheel first despite his attempt to flare. He set engine power to idle after the first porpoise and flared to touch down as smoothly as possible; the airplane porpoised approximately three times before he regained control and stopped near the end of the runway. The engine continued to operate, and he taxied off the runway after being requested by air traffic control.
In his initial submission, the pilot suggested the Cessna 182T is nose heavy and that hard landings occur when landing with idle power, causing the nose to drop more aggressively than in a Cessna 172. He also suggested that loss of engine power at low altitude after takeoff would result in porpoising.
Examination and Findings
On July 13, 2017, FAA inspectors examined the airplane. The Garmin 1000 multi-function display lacked an inserted SD memory card, and maintenance records did not show an update for its installation. The nose pitch trim was found in the full-down position. When battery power was applied and the trim actuated, it functioned normally. The pitch trim control switch on the pilot's yoke operated properly. Elevator and aileron controls moved freely without binding.
After being informed of the trim position, the pilot submitted a second report stating the autopilot was off twice before landing and not engaged for the accident takeoff. He recommended removal of the electric trim and autopilot due to a history of trim runaway with un-commanded autopilot maneuvers, which he considered a hazard for student pilots.
The pilot-rated passenger reported that after the airplane stopped, the pilot asked her to retract flaps from 30° to 0°. During the takeoff roll, the pilot requested flaps 10°, but she was unsure when they locked. She had no recollection of the pitch trim being adjusted after landing.
On July 18, the pilot stated he did not know the cause of the accident and that his previous suggestions of runaway trim and power loss were perceptions not personally substantiated.
On July 19, a post-accident examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic under FAA supervision confirmed flight control continuity, tension, and freedom. Control surface deflections for ailerons, elevator, elevator trim tab, and wing flaps were within limits. An autopilot preflight self-test per the airplane's information manual revealed no discrepancies. Engine compression, ignition timing, fuel samples, and fuel injector flow and volume were normal. The propeller governor adjustment showed no anomalies.
The Airplane Flying Handbook notes that flap extension produces a nose-down pitching moment due to increased camber, and that flap deflection up to 15° primarily increases lift with minimal drag, causing a tendency to balloon which is offset by the nose-down moment.