Cessna 182 N21242 accident near Elk River, Idaho

Probable cause

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

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that during takeoff with a tailwind, about 20-30 feet above the ground, the airplane aerodynamically stalled then impacted the ground.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.

According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

The Federal Aviation Administration has published the Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3A (2004). This handbook discusses stalls and states in part:

The key to stall awareness is the pilot's ability to visualize the wing's angle of attack in any particular circumstance, and thereby be able to estimate his/her margin of safety above stall. This is a learned skill that must be acquired early in flight training and carried through the pilot's entire flying career. The pilot must understand and appreciate factors such as airspeed, pitch attitude, load factor, relative wind, power setting, and aircraft configuration in order to develop a reasonably accurate mental picture of the wing's angle of attack at any particular time. It is essential to flight safety that a pilot takes into consideration this visualization of the wing's angle of attack prior to entering any flight maneuver.

Stall accidents usually result from an inadvertent stall at a low altitude in which a recovery was not accomplished prior to contact with the surface.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA16CA271 for the full record.