Cessna 182 N291CP accident near Geneseo, New York

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to properly set the elevator trim before takeoff, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff and a subsequent aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow the Before Takeoff—Run Up checklist.

NTSB analysis

The commercial pilot reported that, before the accident flight, he repositioned the airplane uneventfully from an airport about 20 miles away. Before takeoff on the accident flight, the pilot performed an engine run-up and verified that all flight controls were free and correct. The pilot then initiated a soft-field takeoff procedure on a bumpy, grass runway. The airplane became airborne in ground effect about 45 knots, and it then began to climb out of ground effect at 60 knots. At that time, the airplane’s nose pitched up abruptly, and the pilot pushed the yoke forward as hard as he could while engaging nose-down electric elevator trim; however, the airplane continued to climb at an excessive angle of attack and subsequently stalled. The airplane then rolled left, descended to the ground, and came to rest inverted. Neither passenger could recall whether the pilot conducted any type of control check or engine run-up before takeoff.

Examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The elevator trim tab was found in a midrange, nose-down position, consistent with the pilot’s statement that he was trimming nose down in an attempt to recover from the loss of control on takeoff. The Before Takeoff – Run-Up checklist stated that the elevator should be trimmed to 20° nose down for takeoff. Given the airplane pitched up abruptly as it began to climb out of ground effect, it is likely that the pilot landed after the previous flight with a nose-up elevator trim setting and that he did not properly reset the elevator trim before takeoff for the accident flight in accordance with the Before Takeoff—Run-Up checklist, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff and the subsequent aerodynamic stall.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA18LA191 for the full record.