At 1545 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain during takeoff. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness reported the airplane landed at about 1520. During the landing, the airplane bounced on the runway and the engine lost power. The pilot could not restart the engine so the airplane was towed to the fueling area. The fuel tanks were filled to capacity; the engine started without difficulty and the pilot then departed at 1545. The witness saw the airplane go down the runway and noted there was no change in engine power. The airplane lifted out of ground effect but did not climb any higher. It continued down the runway. At the end of the runway, the witness saw the airplane stall to the left, prior to ground impact.
August 16, 2008, St. Johns, Ariz., Cessna 177
At 1545 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain during takeoff. The commercial pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness reported the airplane landed at about 1520. During the landing, the airplane bounced on the runway and the engine lost power. The pilot could not restart the engine so the airplane was towed to the fueling area. The fuel tanks were filled to capacity; the engine started without difficulty and the pilot then departed at 1545. The witness saw the airplane go down the runway and noted there was no change in engine power.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane collided with terrain during takeoff, resulting in serious injuries to the pilot and two passengers, and substantial damage to the aircraft.
- Before the fatal takeoff, the airplane had experienced an engine power loss during a bounced landing, was subsequently towed, refueled, and its engine restarted without difficulty.
- A witness reported that during the takeoff, the engine power remained unchanged, the airplane failed to climb after lifting off, and ultimately stalled to the left at the end of the runway before impact.
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