Introduction
On 3 September 2017, a Cessna 182P aircraft, registration I-SCAP, was involved in an accident near Pontinia, Italy. The aircraft had taken off from the Pegaso Club 2000 airstrip for a parachute-drop flight. Shortly after departure, it lost altitude, turned right, and impacted the ground near the Via Appia. The aircraft was evacuated before a fire destroyed it.
Flight History
The aircraft departed runway 23 at approximately 10:30 UTC (12:30 local time) with the pilot and four parachutists on board. After clearing a power line perpendicular to the runway extension, the aircraft lost altitude. Following a right turn, it struck the ground near the edge of the Via Appia, where a lateral escarpment existed.
Injuries and Damage
Two parachutists died from their injuries. The pilot and two other parachutists sustained injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. No damage to third parties on the ground was reported.
Personnel Information
The pilot, a 26-year-old Italian male, held a Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL(A)) with valid ratings for single-engine piston (SEP), Pilatus PC-6 SET, instrument rating (IR), and parachuting. His total flight experience was 746 hours 52 minutes as of 30 August 2017. In the previous two years, he had flown 268 hours 25 minutes, primarily on a Pilatus PC-6 for parachute operations and on a Piper PA-28. He had not flown a Cessna 182 in at least two years, and his recent parachute operations had been conducted with turbine aircraft.
One of the parachutists, a 61-year-old Italian male who sat beside the pilot facing aft, was the regular pilot of I-SCAP at the skydiving school. He held a Private Pilot Licence (PPL) with SEP and parachuting ratings and had flown the aircraft earlier that morning as pilot.
Aircraft Information
The Cessna 182P (I-SCAP) is a single-engine piston aircraft. The investigation determined that the takeoff weight exceeded the maximum allowable, the center of gravity was aft of the rear limit, and the flap configuration was inappropriate. These factors, combined with a failure to perform the maximum-performance takeoff procedure, led to the loss of control.
Cause
The official investigation concluded that the accident was caused by a loss of control during takeoff due to the inability to maintain the flight path, resulting from a combination of takeoff weight exceeding the maximum allowable, a center of gravity beyond the rear limit, and an inappropriate flap configuration. Additionally, the failure to execute the maximum-performance takeoff procedure contributed to the conditions that led to the accident.