Accident Overview
On September 15, 2018, at about 1540 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172N airplane, registration N734FT, sustained substantial damage after striking a stand of trees shortly after departure from St Johns Industrial Airpark (SJN) in St Johns, Arizona. The commercial pilot, a pilot-rated passenger, and one other passenger were seriously injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The intended destination was Phoenix Goodyear Airport (GYR) in Goodyear, Arizona.
Pilot and Owner Accounts
The left-seat pilot-in-command reported that he initially attempted takeoff from runway 21 but aborted when the airplane did not accelerate sufficiently. He then chose runway 14, which was longer. After liftoff, the airplane climbed to about 100 feet above ground level but then failed to continue climbing. The right-seat occupant, a rated pilot and the airplane owner, advised turning left toward lower terrain. The pilot stated that the airplane began to sink and subsequently collided with a stand of trees. He noted no mechanical anomalies with the airframe or engine and reported the airplane's weight at takeoff was 50 pounds below maximum gross weight.
In a postaccident telephone interview, the pilot-rated owner reported that during the initial climb from runway 14 at low altitude, the stall warning horn sounded. The left-seat pilot then said, "You better take it," and almost immediately the airplane struck a stand of cottonwood trees. The airplane came to rest inverted, with substantial damage to both wings, the forward fuselage, and empennage. The owner stated that both fuel tanks had been topped off before departure and believed the accident was due to high density altitude conditions.
Weather Conditions
At 1554, the automated weather observation system at SJN reported wind from 180 degrees at 5 knots, clear sky, visibility 10 miles, temperature 31°C, dew point 3°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.10 inches of mercury. The airport elevation is 5,737 feet. The calculated density altitude was approximately 8,600 feet at the time of the accident. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Koch Chart, given the temperature and field elevation, the airplane would have likely experienced a 68% decrease in its normal climb rate.