Heber Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gansevoort, New York 12831
Saturday, August 2, 2014 17:42 EDT

On August 2, 2014, at 1742 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182F, N1DZ, operated by Duanesburg Aircraft, Inc., was destroyed when it collided with a tree and terrain during climb-out following a banner pick-up at Heber Airpark (K30), Gansevoort, New York. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed K30 about 1737. The banner-tow flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Several witnesses provided statements and were interviewed at the scene, and their recounting of events was consistent throughout. According to the owner/operator of the banner-tow company, the airplane departed to the east, circled, and returned for the banner pickup. He was in radio contact with the pilot in order to provide flight path adjustments for the banner pick-up, but the approach was "perfect" and the pick-up was successful. He announced over the radio that the banner was captured and "looked good," but the airplane did not climb as it normally would. He did not remember hearing the customary full-power engine acceleration that is typical after a banner capture, and observed that the airplane climbed at a much shallower angle than customary, and drifted left of the runway heading. The airplane collided with a treetop, rolled inverted, and struck the ground nose down. The owner of the property where the airplane came to rest was in her yard facing the runway when her attention was drawn to the sound of the airplane as it approached. When asked to describe the sound of the engine, she said, "It sounded like they always do" at takeoff. The airplane was in a level attitude when it struck the treetop, rolled inverted, and struck the ground nose first. She explained that the sound of the engine was smooth and continuous until the airplane contacted the ground. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued March 27, 2011. The pilot's logbook was not recovered, and his total flight experience could not be immediately determined. According to FAA and maintenance records, the airplane was manufactured in 1963. Its most recent annual inspection was completed July 3, 2014, at 12,269 aircraft hours. The airplane accrued approximately 16 hours of flight time after the inspection. The wreckage was examined on August 3 and 4, 2014, and all major components were accounted for at examination. The initial impact point was in a treetop 50 feet above the ground, and 143 feet left of the runway centerline. The wreckage path was oriented approximately 240 degrees magnetic, and was 155 feet in length. The airplane came to rest inverted facing the direction of travel and the engine compartment, instrument panel, cockpit, cabin area, wings and empennage were destroyed by impact. The vertical fin, horizontal stabilizer, and elevator were largely intact. The engine was rolled beneath the instrument panel and was not readily visible. The airplane was turned upright on its landing gear, and towed onto the airport property for a detailed examination. While the airplane was righted, fuel poured from both wings. The propeller was buried in the impact crater about 12 inches below the surface. Both blades exhibited chord-wise polishing, and one blade was loose in the hub and displayed an aft bend about mid-span. Continuity from the cockpit flight controls to all flight control surfaces was confirmed. The rudder and elevator control cables were cut by rescue personnel, but cable continuity was confirmed from the cuts to their respective control surfaces. The banner-tow hook was damaged during recovery of the airplane; but still locked and released as designed during an operational check. The throttle and mixture controls were in the full-forward position, the propeller control was three-fourths forward, and the carburetor heat control was in the "On" position. Examination of the lap belt restraints revealed that the buckles remained buckled, and the belts had been cut by rescue personnel. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. Fuel system continuity was confirmed from the wing tanks, through the fuel selector, to the engine. The left fuel bladder was torn by impact forces and the right fuel bladder appeared intact. Continuity was confirmed through cuts made by rescue personnel. The engine was removed from the airplane for a detailed examination at a later date.

Not Yet Reported