Cessna 182Q N717AT accident near Bowstring, Minnesota

Probable cause

The pilot exceeded the critical angle of attack during takeoff which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with a wind sock and terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that while taking off with 20 degrees of flaps from a grass airstrip, the airplane rotated about 50 knots and climbed to an altitude of about 80 feet above the ground. The pilot reported that the airplane "seemed" not to be "making" enough power to continue to climb.

The pilot elected to abort the takeoff and land directly ahead on what remained of the landing strip. While landing the airplane impacted a wind sock located about 140 feet to the left of centerline and about 500 feet short of the departure end of the runway on the left edge of the landing strip, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall.

In a telephone interview with the NTSB Investigator-in-charge (IIC) the pilot stated that the stall warning horn was audible during the initial climb.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA050 for the full record.