History of Flight
On September 12, 2021, about 1609 mountain standard time, a Cessna 177RG, N2085Q, departed from runway 14 at Lake Havasu Airport, Lake Havasu, Arizona. The pilot had flown the airplane from its home base at Eagle Airpark in Bullhead City, Arizona, earlier that day, landing at Lake Havasu about 1545. The purpose of the flight was to refuel for a planned cross-country trip to Reno, Nevada. After arrival, the pilot purchased 24.8 gallons of fuel from the self-serve pump. According to the pilot's wife, he intended to top off the fuel tanks.
Video and audio recordings, as well as FAA ADS-B data, showed that the pilot taxied to runway 14, performed a run-up, and began the takeoff roll about 1608. Witnesses reported that the airplane traveled at a slow groundspeed down the runway and that the engine sounded abnormal, as if it were producing partial power. The airplane veered to the right of the centerline and climbed to an altitude of 100 to 150 feet above ground level. ADS-B data indicated an airspeed of up to 65 knots during the takeoff roll.
Security camera video showed the airplane pitch nose-high and bank left. Witnesses observed the wingspan become nearly perpendicular to the horizon, followed by a stall with the left wing dropping toward the terrain. During the takeoff, the pilot transmitted on the airport common frequency: "Lake Havasu traffic Cardinal 2085Q making a uh." Less than one second later, a recording captured a high-pitched tone consistent with a stall warning horn. The airplane impacted desert terrain approximately 830 feet from the departure end of runway 14, and a postcrash fire ensued.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Cessna 177RG, registration N2085Q. According to the pilot's logbook, the airframe had accumulated 3,487.3 total hours, and the engine had 1,219.4 hours since remanufacture. The camshaft and lifters were replaced in December 2004, 682 hours before the accident. The No. 1 cylinder was replaced with an overhauled assembly in March 2020, 75.1 hours before the accident. The last recorded oil change occurred during the most recent annual inspection.
The pilot had periodically submitted engine oil samples for spectrometer analysis. The most recent sample was taken on September 9, 2021, three days before the accident and 2.7 flight hours before the accident; the results were not reviewed before the flight. Postaccident analysis of that sample showed elevated levels of aluminum, chromium, iron, silicon, and nickel. A previous sample from September 2019 had also shown elevated metal levels, with the laboratory report noting that if no recent engine work had been performed, the amounts indicated piston, ring, and steel wear, specifically a "ring problem."
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was at an elevation of 790 feet mean sea level, consisting of dry, soft dirt with sparse brush. The wreckage was distributed over a 200-foot distance on a magnetic bearing of about 60°. Most of the airframe and engine were consumed by fire. The first identified points of contact were disrupted dirt with red fragments, consistent with the left wingtip striking the ground first. A larger middle indentation with arc-shaped dirt displacement was consistent with a rotating propeller blade. Blue and green fragments were found near the end of the debris path.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 1 and No. 4 piston top compression rings had fractured in multiple places. All piston skirts showed corrosion, wear, and scuffs oriented from base to crown, with evidence of blow-by. The No. 3 cylinder exhibited the least damage. Laboratory analysis of the fractured rings found iron oxides with high carbon, lead, and bromine, indicating exposure to combustion gases. Extensive wear on fracture surfaces suggested the fractures occurred before the accident and continued to wear during piston movement, likely allowing blow-by of combustion gases and oil leakage.
Separation of the crankcase halves showed severe spalling on all intake lifters and the No. 3 exhaust lifter, with galling noted. Other lifters exhibited circular wear patterns and pitting. The camshaft had worn cam lobes with rounding, pitting, and material deformation. The No. 4 exhaust valve lifter had a tear in its base consistent with contact with the hydraulic socket. Pushrods were not bent. Bearings showed light wear, and the crankshaft had light rotational scoring.