Monday, September 01, 2014

Cessna 180, N6510A: Fatal accident occurred September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, Rockingham County, New Hampshire

Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA417
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, NH
Probable Cause Approval Date: 03/23/2017
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N6510A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

Witnesses reported observing the commercial pilot and passenger departing from the turf runway. After a normal takeoff, the airplane’s angle of attack (AOA) began to increase, and it continued to increase until the airplane’s critical AOA was exceeded. The airplane then experienced an aerodynamic stall and entered an uncontrolled descent. Postaccident examination of the airplane, including the flight controls and stall warning system, and the engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot had reported that he had hypertension, gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), and high cholesterol and that he was using lisinopril, pantoprazole, and simvastatin to treat those conditions to the Federal Aviation Administration. However, given that high blood pressure and high cholesterol cause no direct symptoms and that no evidence of a stroke, heart attack, or significant natural disease were identified on autopsy, it is unlikely that either of these conditions or the medications the pilot was taking to treat them contributed to the accident. Further, although GERD can cause heartburn, it is unlikely to have been acute or severe enough to have contributed to the accident. 

Postaccident toxicology testing of the pilot’s specimens identified significant levels of diphenhydramine, which is a sedating antihistamine, in the femoral and cavity blood, indicating that it is likely that the pilot’s diphenhydramine level was near the middle of the therapeutic window at the time of the accident. Even at therapeutic levels, diphenhydramine is quite impairing. In fact, in a driving simulator study, a single dose of diphenhydramine impaired driving ability more than a blood alcohol concentration of 0.100%. Thus, it is very likely that the pilot was impaired by diphenhydramine at the time of the accident. 

Toxicology testing of the passenger’s specimens detected a level of zolpidem, which is a short-acting sedative hypnotic used as a sleep aid, in the heart blood that was at the lower end of the therapeutic window and would likely have been significantly lower at the time of the accident. Although it could not be determined with certainty, it is not likely that the passenger was significantly impaired by zolpidem at the time of the accident.

The pilot was seated in the left seat; one witness reported seeing his left hand on the glareshield as the AOA began to increase whereas another witness reported seeing his hand reach for the glareshield as the AOA began to increase. Based on the pilot’s reported hand position at takeoff, it is possible that he had decided to let the unrated passenger attempt the takeoff; however, this could not be definitively determined. In either case (with the passenger or the pilot flying), the pilot failed to ensure that the airplane maintained adequate airspeed, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack. It is likely that the pilot’s impairment by diphenhydramine contributed to the accident and led to his poor decision-making or affected his ability to respond to the stall quickly.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot’s failure to ensure the airplane maintained adequate airspeed during the initial climb and the subsequent exceedance of its critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident were the pilot’s impairment due to a sedating antihistamine, which led to his decision to possibly allow the passenger to attempt the takeoff, and his delayed remedial action to lower the nose when the airplane began to pitch up too much.

David E. Ingalls


Bruce Anderson



The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities:  

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boston, Massachusetts  
Continental Motors Inc.; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas 

Aviation Accident Factual Report -  National Transportation Safety Board:   https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

David E. Ingalls: http://registry.faa.gov/N6510A

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA417
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, NH
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N6510A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 1, 2014, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N6510A, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Hampton Airfield (7B3), North Hampton, New Hampshire. The airline transport pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, destined for a private airport in Kingston, New Hampshire.

On the day of the accident, the airport was hosting its annual customer appreciation day. As a result, numerous witnesses observed the accident.

According to witness statements and video images, the pilot contacted the airport advisory frequency from a position approximately 5 miles west of 7B3. The airplane then overflew the south end of the airport and the pilot advised that he would be joining the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for "Runway 22." The pilot then advised that he was joining the base leg of the traffic pattern, and then reported that he was "landing south" without indicating the runway number.

The airplane landed normally, and subsequently shutdown at the fuel pumps, at 1023. The pilot then refueled the airplane with approximately 31 gallons of 100 LL aviation gasoline, which was completed at approximately 1036.

After starting the airplane and taxiing away from the fuel pumps, a witness observed a seat belt hanging out of the passenger door. The witness gained the pilot's attention and advised him about the seatbelt. The pilot then taxied to runway 02. Witnesses did not observe the pilot perform an run-up prior to turning onto the runway, and also noted that the flaps were partially extended before the takeoff roll began.

The airplane appeared to takeoff normally with the tailwheel coming off the surface of the runway first, followed by the main landing gear wheels. Comparison of video footage to known landmarks on the airport indicated that the ground run was approximately 890 feet. After liftoff, the airplane's angle of attack began to increase. One witness stated that as the angle of attack began to increase, the pilot's left hand reached for the glareshield, while another witness observed the pilot's left hand already on the glareshield as the angle of attack began to increase.

Approximately 320 feet later, the airplane's angle of attack was still increasing and the airplane's altitude was higher than a group of approximately 73 foot high trees that were located adjacent to the west side of the runway. Moments later, the airplane rolled and yawed to the left, the angle of attack decreased through a level flight attitude, to a steep nose down attitude, the engine rpm decreased "as if it was being throttled back to idle" and the airplane went out of view behind some trees. The sound of impact was then heard.

PILOT INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land, with commercial pilot privileges for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and type ratings for the B-707, B-720, and B-727. He had accrued approximately 20,050 total hours of flight time, 2,025 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013.

According to FAA records, the passenger did not hold any pilot certificates and no evidence of any flight training for the passenger was found during the investigation.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident aircraft was a four-place, strut braced, high wing airplane of conventional metal construction. It was equipped with conventional landing gear, and powered by a Continental Motors O-470-K, 230 horsepower engine, that was equipped with a two-blade, variable pitch, constant-speed propeller.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, it was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The reported weather at Portsmouth International Airport (PSM), located 6 nautical miles north of the accident site, at 1058, included: wind from 290 degrees at 6 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 3,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Hampton Airfield was privately-owned, and was located 2 miles north of Hampton, New Hampshire. It was classified by the FAA as a non-towered public use airport. The airport elevation was 93 feet above mean sea level and there was one runway oriented in a 02/20 configuration. Runway 02 was turf, and in good condition. The total length was 2,100 foot long by 170 foot wide.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck trees in a nose low, left wing down attitude, and then impacted the ground in a 42-degree nose low attitude, on an approximate magnetic heading of 220 degrees, before coming to rest. The smell of fuel was present, and multiple branches and broken tree limbs displayed evidence of propeller strike marks.

Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage was broken and bent in several places. The wings, which displayed crush and compression damage, were detached from their mounting locations, and approximately 2 feet of the outboard left wing was separated.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the cockpit, and the throttle control, mixture control, propeller control, and carburetor heat, were full in. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position, the stabilizer trim wheel was intact and the trim indicator, and jackscrew indicated that the stabilizer trim was approximately in the 0-degree (neutral) position. The flap handle for the wing flaps was in the 20-degree detent. The pilot and passenger seat tracks were equipped with seat stops, and displayed evidence of pullout and cracking which was consistent with the seats being in the locked position during the impact.

The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft and both propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller blades displayed evidence of S-bending, chordwise scratching, and leading edge polishing. The propeller governor remained attached to its mounting location, and displayed significant impact damage including impact separation of the governor control from the rest of the propeller governor.

The engine intake system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and several intake tubes were crushed, dented and bent. A portion of the intake system was separated from the rest of the intake system, and a portion remained attached to the carburetor. The exhaust system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and displayed crushing, bending, and tearing. All of the exhaust risers remained attached to their respective cylinders.

The magnetos remained attached to their respective mounting locations and sustained only minor damage. The crankshaft was rotated by hand, and both magnetos produced spark at all of their respective ignition leads. All of the spark plugs were present in their respective cylinders and were undamaged. When compared to the Champion Aviation Service Manual, all of the spark plugs displayed normal operating signatures.

The carburetor sustained damage consistent with impact damage; the idle stop adjustment screw installation point remained only partially attached. The carburetor remained attached to a portion of the intake system; however, the attach point had broken free from the rest of the intake system. Internal examination of the carburetor revealed that fuel consistent with 100 LL aviation gasoline was present in the float bowl. No contaminates were present in the inlet screen, and a check of the fuel in the carburetor bowl utilizing water finding paste did not indicate the presence of water. Submersion of the carburetor floats in a container of 100LL for 20 minutes did not reveal any air bubbles and the floats retained their buoyancy.

The oil sump remained attached to its mounting location and displayed impact damage. The oil pump gears, housing, and oil pressure relief valve displayed normal operating signatures. The oil filter remained attached to the oil filter adapter and displayed impact damage. There were no metallic particulates or contaminates discovered in the filter pleats and the oil cooler was undamaged.

All of the cylinders remained attached to the engine and the cylinders sustained only minor impact damage. Examination of the cylinders with a borescope revealed that the piston faces, valve heads, and cylinder bores, all displayed normal operating signatures.

The crankcase remained intact and displayed minor impact damage. The crankshaft remained intact and displayed impact damage to the propeller flange.

Thumb compression and suction was established on all cylinders, and all the valves, rocker arms, pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, and associated components were noted to operate when the crankshaft was rotated by hand.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Pilot

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the State of New Hampshire, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The reported cause of death was blunt impact injuries.

Toxicological testing of the pilot was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for ethanol, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs, with the exception of Diphenhydramine, which was detected in urine and blood, and Ibuprofen, which was detected in urine. Testing for Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide were not performed.

On April 11, 2013, during his last aviation medical examination, the 77-year old male pilot reported a new diagnosis of hypertension as well as long standing gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and high cholesterol. He reported using the medications Lisinopril, Pantoprazole, and Simvastatin. He was issued a third class medical certificate limited by a requirement to wear corrective lenses for distance vision and possess glasses for near vision. At the time, he was 66 inches tall, and weighed 152 pounds.

Lisinopril is a prescription blood pressure medication commonly sold with the name Vasotec. Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat GERD and other sources of heartburn. It is available over the counter with the name Prilosec. Simvastatin is a prescription cholesterol lowering agent commonly sold with the name Lipitor.

According to the autopsy report, the examination identified atherosclerotic disease in the aorta and some calcification of the coronary arteries without coronary artery stenosis. The remainder of the examination was unremarkable.

Toxicology testing performed by the NMS Labs at the request of the Chief Medical Examiner identified 0.077 ug/ml of Diphenhydramine in femoral blood and caffeine in chest blood.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory identified Diphenhydramine and Ibuprofen in urine; 0.432 ug/ml of Diphenhydramine was quantified in cavity blood.

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication used as an analgesic and fever reliever; it is available over the counter marketed as Motrin and Advil. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat cold and allergy symptoms and as a sleep aid. It is available over the counter under the trade names Benadryl and Unisom. Diphenhydramine's therapeutic window is between 0.0250 ug/ml and 0.1120 ug/ml. It carries the following FDA warning: may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery). Compared to other antihistamines, diphenhydramine causes marked sedation; it is also classed as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant and this is the rationale for its use as a sleep aid. Altered mood and impaired cognitive and psychomotor performance may also be observed. In fact, in a driving simulator study, a single dose of Diphenhydramine impaired driving ability more than a blood alcohol concentration of 0.100%. Diphenhydramine undergoes postmortem redistribution; after death it can move back into pooled blood from storage sites. For diphenhydramine, postmortem central or cavity blood levels may increase by three times or more.

Passenger

An autopsy was performed on the passenger by the State of New Hampshire, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The reported cause of death was blunt impact injuries.

Toxicological testing of the passenger was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for ethanol, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs, with the exception of Zolpidem, which was detected in liver and blood, and Ibuprofen, which was detected in blood. Testing for Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide were not performed.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory identified Ibuprofen and 0.0250 ug/ml of Zolpidem in heart blood as well as of 0.068 ug/ml of Zolpidem in liver.

Zolpidem is a short acting sedative hypnotic used as a sleep aid and available by prescription; it is commonly called Ambien. Zolpidem's therapeutic window is between 0.0250 and 0.300 ug/ml and it carries the following warning: may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery).

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Pitot Static System

The airspeed indicator, was operated by the pitot static system. This system consisted of a pitot tube, mounted under the leading edge of the left wing and two pressure ports (static ports) mounted on opposite sides of the fuselage just aft of the firewall. Examination of the pitot tube and static pressure ports during the wreckage examination revealed that they were clear of obstructions.

Stall Warning System

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the aerodynamic stall characteristics were conventional for flaps up and flaps down conditions and slight buffeting could occur just before the stall with flaps down.

The airplane when at aft center of gravity and full gross weight at sea level would stall with the wing flaps set at 20-degrees at a true indicated airspeed (TIAS) of:

55 mph at 0-degrees angle of bank
59 mph at 30-degrees angle of bank
78 mph at 60-degrees angle of bank

To help avoid aerodynamic stalls, the airplane was equipped with a stall warning system. The stall warning system was comprised of a stall warning indicator (stall warning horn) which was mounted on the back of the glove compartment box, next to the firewall, and an actuating switch (stall vane) which was mounted on the leading edge of the left wing and was actuated by airflow over the surface of the wing. The switch would close as approximately 5 to 10 mph above the airplane stall speed.

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the stall warning indicator would provide protection from inadvertent stalls. It would give a warning whenever an aerodynamic stall was approached, regardless of speed, attitude, altitude, acceleration, or other factors, which could change the stalling speed.

Examination of the stall warning system did not reveal any anomalies, and testing of the actuating switch with a multimeter, indicated that it was functional.

Use of Wing Flaps

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the wing flap control handle was operated by depressing the thumb button and moving the handle to the desired flap setting. By releasing the thumb button, the handle could be locked to provide 0, 20, 30, and 40-degree flap positions. The flaps could be lowered or raised during normal flying whenever the airspeed was less than 100 mph. The wing flaps could supply considerable lift and drag.

For takeoff, the flaps could be selected to the 0-degree (flaps up), or 20-degree (first notch), positions.

During the wreckage examination, the wing flap handle was found to be in the 20-degree (first notch) position, which according to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, would shorten the takeoff distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle as a result of slower forward speeds, even though the use of wing flaps would lessen the rate of climb. The use of 30 or 40 degrees of wing flaps was not recommended at any time for takeoff.

The manual also stated to "REMEMBER" that you "Don't under marginal conditions, leave wing flaps on long enough that you are losing both climb and airspeed. Don't raise wing flaps with airspeed below "Flaps Up stalling speed" and "Do slowly release the wing flaps as soon as you reasonably can after take-off, preferably 50 feet or more over terrain or obstacles."





NTSB Identification: ERA14FA417 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, NH
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N6510A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 1, 2014, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N6510A, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after a loss of control during initial climb at Hampton Airfield (7B3), North Hampton, New Hampshire. The airline transport rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, destined for a private airport in Kingston, New Hampshire.

According to witness statements and video images, the takeoff occurred on runway 02 which was a 2,100 foot long by 170 foot wide turf covered runway. Comparison of the video footage to known landmarks on the airport indicated that after a ground run of approximately 890 feet the airplane lifted off, and the airplane angle of attack began to increase. Approximately 320 feet later its angle of attack was still increasing though its altitude was higher than a group of trees that were approximately 75 feet high located adjacent to the west side of the runway. Moments later the airplane rolled and yawed to the left, the angle of attack decreased through a level flight attitude, to a steep nose down attitude, and the airplane went out of view behind some trees. The sound of impact was then heard.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck trees in a nose low, left wing down attitude, and then impacted the ground in a 42 degree nose low attitude, on an approximate magnetic heading of 220 degrees, before coming to rest. The smell of fuel was present, and multiple branches and broken tree limbs displayed evidence of propeller strike marks.

Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine.

The fuselage was broken and bent in several places. The wings displayed crush and compression damage, were detached from their mounting locations, and approximately two feet of the outboard left wing was separated.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the cockpit, and the throttle control, mixture control, propeller control, and carburetor heat, were full in. The flap handle was in the 10-degree detent. The pilot seats' tracks showed evidence of pullout and cracking which was indicative of the pilot seats being in the locked position during the impact.

The propeller displayed evidence of S-bending and chordwise scratching. Drivetrain continuity was established from the front of the engine to the accessory pad on the back of the engine, and oil was present in the galleries and rocker boxes. Both magnetos produced spark and the upper spark plug electrodes appeared normal and light gray in color. Thumb compression was established on all cylinders, and fuel was present in the carburetor float bowl.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi engine land, with commercial privileges for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and type ratings for the B-707, B-720, and B-727. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, the accident airplane was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation.


David E. Ingalls




Bruce Anderson


The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entities:  

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Boston, Massachusetts  
Continental Motors Inc.; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas 

Aviation Accident Factual Report -  National Transportation Safety Board:   https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

David E. Ingalls: http://registry.faa.gov/N6510A

NTSB Identification: ERA14FA417
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, NH
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N6510A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 1, 2014, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N6510A, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain during the initial climb after takeoff from Hampton Airfield (7B3), North Hampton, New Hampshire. The airline transport pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, destined for a private airport in Kingston, New Hampshire.

On the day of the accident, the airport was hosting its annual customer appreciation day. As a result, numerous witnesses observed the accident.

According to witness statements and video images, the pilot contacted the airport advisory frequency from a position approximately 5 miles west of 7B3. The airplane then overflew the south end of the airport and the pilot advised that he would be joining the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for "Runway 22." The pilot then advised that he was joining the base leg of the traffic pattern, and then reported that he was "landing south" without indicating the runway number.

The airplane landed normally, and subsequently shutdown at the fuel pumps, at 1023. The pilot then refueled the airplane with approximately 31 gallons of 100 LL aviation gasoline, which was completed at approximately 1036.

After starting the airplane and taxiing away from the fuel pumps, a witness observed a seat belt hanging out of the passenger door. The witness gained the pilot's attention and advised him about the seatbelt. The pilot then taxied to runway 02. Witnesses did not observe the pilot perform an run-up prior to turning onto the runway, and also noted that the flaps were partially extended before the takeoff roll began.

The airplane appeared to takeoff normally with the tailwheel coming off the surface of the runway first, followed by the main landing gear wheels. Comparison of video footage to known landmarks on the airport indicated that the ground run was approximately 890 feet. After liftoff, the airplane's angle of attack began to increase. One witness stated that as the angle of attack began to increase, the pilot's left hand reached for the glareshield, while another witness observed the pilot's left hand already on the glareshield as the angle of attack began to increase.

Approximately 320 feet later, the airplane's angle of attack was still increasing and the airplane's altitude was higher than a group of approximately 73 foot high trees that were located adjacent to the west side of the runway. Moments later, the airplane rolled and yawed to the left, the angle of attack decreased through a level flight attitude, to a steep nose down attitude, the engine rpm decreased "as if it was being throttled back to idle" and the airplane went out of view behind some trees. The sound of impact was then heard.

PILOT INFORMATION

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and pilot records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land, with commercial pilot privileges for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and type ratings for the B-707, B-720, and B-727. He had accrued approximately 20,050 total hours of flight time, 2,025 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013.

According to FAA records, the passenger did not hold any pilot certificates and no evidence of any flight training for the passenger was found during the investigation.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident aircraft was a four-place, strut braced, high wing airplane of conventional metal construction. It was equipped with conventional landing gear, and powered by a Continental Motors O-470-K, 230 horsepower engine, that was equipped with a two-blade, variable pitch, constant-speed propeller.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, it was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The reported weather at Portsmouth International Airport (PSM), located 6 nautical miles north of the accident site, at 1058, included: wind from 290 degrees at 6 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 3,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 21 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Hampton Airfield was privately-owned, and was located 2 miles north of Hampton, New Hampshire. It was classified by the FAA as a non-towered public use airport. The airport elevation was 93 feet above mean sea level and there was one runway oriented in a 02/20 configuration. Runway 02 was turf, and in good condition. The total length was 2,100 foot long by 170 foot wide.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck trees in a nose low, left wing down attitude, and then impacted the ground in a 42-degree nose low attitude, on an approximate magnetic heading of 220 degrees, before coming to rest. The smell of fuel was present, and multiple branches and broken tree limbs displayed evidence of propeller strike marks.

Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage was broken and bent in several places. The wings, which displayed crush and compression damage, were detached from their mounting locations, and approximately 2 feet of the outboard left wing was separated.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the cockpit, and the throttle control, mixture control, propeller control, and carburetor heat, were full in. The fuel selector valve was in the "BOTH" position, the stabilizer trim wheel was intact and the trim indicator, and jackscrew indicated that the stabilizer trim was approximately in the 0-degree (neutral) position. The flap handle for the wing flaps was in the 20-degree detent. The pilot and passenger seat tracks were equipped with seat stops, and displayed evidence of pullout and cracking which was consistent with the seats being in the locked position during the impact.

The propeller remained attached to the crankshaft and both propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The propeller blades displayed evidence of S-bending, chordwise scratching, and leading edge polishing. The propeller governor remained attached to its mounting location, and displayed significant impact damage including impact separation of the governor control from the rest of the propeller governor.

The engine intake system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and several intake tubes were crushed, dented and bent. A portion of the intake system was separated from the rest of the intake system, and a portion remained attached to the carburetor. The exhaust system sustained damage consistent with impact damage and displayed crushing, bending, and tearing. All of the exhaust risers remained attached to their respective cylinders.

The magnetos remained attached to their respective mounting locations and sustained only minor damage. The crankshaft was rotated by hand, and both magnetos produced spark at all of their respective ignition leads. All of the spark plugs were present in their respective cylinders and were undamaged. When compared to the Champion Aviation Service Manual, all of the spark plugs displayed normal operating signatures.

The carburetor sustained damage consistent with impact damage; the idle stop adjustment screw installation point remained only partially attached. The carburetor remained attached to a portion of the intake system; however, the attach point had broken free from the rest of the intake system. Internal examination of the carburetor revealed that fuel consistent with 100 LL aviation gasoline was present in the float bowl. No contaminates were present in the inlet screen, and a check of the fuel in the carburetor bowl utilizing water finding paste did not indicate the presence of water. Submersion of the carburetor floats in a container of 100LL for 20 minutes did not reveal any air bubbles and the floats retained their buoyancy.

The oil sump remained attached to its mounting location and displayed impact damage. The oil pump gears, housing, and oil pressure relief valve displayed normal operating signatures. The oil filter remained attached to the oil filter adapter and displayed impact damage. There were no metallic particulates or contaminates discovered in the filter pleats and the oil cooler was undamaged.

All of the cylinders remained attached to the engine and the cylinders sustained only minor impact damage. Examination of the cylinders with a borescope revealed that the piston faces, valve heads, and cylinder bores, all displayed normal operating signatures.

The crankcase remained intact and displayed minor impact damage. The crankshaft remained intact and displayed impact damage to the propeller flange.

Thumb compression and suction was established on all cylinders, and all the valves, rocker arms, pistons, crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rods, and associated components were noted to operate when the crankshaft was rotated by hand.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Pilot

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the State of New Hampshire, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The reported cause of death was blunt impact injuries.

Toxicological testing of the pilot was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for ethanol, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs, with the exception of Diphenhydramine, which was detected in urine and blood, and Ibuprofen, which was detected in urine. Testing for Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide were not performed.

On April 11, 2013, during his last aviation medical examination, the 77-year old male pilot reported a new diagnosis of hypertension as well as long standing gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and high cholesterol. He reported using the medications Lisinopril, Pantoprazole, and Simvastatin. He was issued a third class medical certificate limited by a requirement to wear corrective lenses for distance vision and possess glasses for near vision. At the time, he was 66 inches tall, and weighed 152 pounds.

Lisinopril is a prescription blood pressure medication commonly sold with the name Vasotec. Pantoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used to treat GERD and other sources of heartburn. It is available over the counter with the name Prilosec. Simvastatin is a prescription cholesterol lowering agent commonly sold with the name Lipitor.

According to the autopsy report, the examination identified atherosclerotic disease in the aorta and some calcification of the coronary arteries without coronary artery stenosis. The remainder of the examination was unremarkable.

Toxicology testing performed by the NMS Labs at the request of the Chief Medical Examiner identified 0.077 ug/ml of Diphenhydramine in femoral blood and caffeine in chest blood.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory identified Diphenhydramine and Ibuprofen in urine; 0.432 ug/ml of Diphenhydramine was quantified in cavity blood.

Ibuprofen is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication used as an analgesic and fever reliever; it is available over the counter marketed as Motrin and Advil. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat cold and allergy symptoms and as a sleep aid. It is available over the counter under the trade names Benadryl and Unisom. Diphenhydramine's therapeutic window is between 0.0250 ug/ml and 0.1120 ug/ml. It carries the following FDA warning: may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery). Compared to other antihistamines, diphenhydramine causes marked sedation; it is also classed as a Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant and this is the rationale for its use as a sleep aid. Altered mood and impaired cognitive and psychomotor performance may also be observed. In fact, in a driving simulator study, a single dose of Diphenhydramine impaired driving ability more than a blood alcohol concentration of 0.100%. Diphenhydramine undergoes postmortem redistribution; after death it can move back into pooled blood from storage sites. For diphenhydramine, postmortem central or cavity blood levels may increase by three times or more.

Passenger

An autopsy was performed on the passenger by the State of New Hampshire, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The reported cause of death was blunt impact injuries.

Toxicological testing of the passenger was conducted at the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The specimens from the pilot were negative for ethanol, and basic, acidic, and neutral drugs, with the exception of Zolpidem, which was detected in liver and blood, and Ibuprofen, which was detected in blood. Testing for Carbon Monoxide and Cyanide were not performed.

Toxicology testing performed by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory identified Ibuprofen and 0.0250 ug/ml of Zolpidem in heart blood as well as of 0.068 ug/ml of Zolpidem in liver.

Zolpidem is a short acting sedative hypnotic used as a sleep aid and available by prescription; it is commonly called Ambien. Zolpidem's therapeutic window is between 0.0250 and 0.300 ug/ml and it carries the following warning: may impair mental and/or physical ability required for the performance of potentially hazardous tasks (e.g., driving, operating heavy machinery).

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Pitot Static System

The airspeed indicator, was operated by the pitot static system. This system consisted of a pitot tube, mounted under the leading edge of the left wing and two pressure ports (static ports) mounted on opposite sides of the fuselage just aft of the firewall. Examination of the pitot tube and static pressure ports during the wreckage examination revealed that they were clear of obstructions.

Stall Warning System

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the aerodynamic stall characteristics were conventional for flaps up and flaps down conditions and slight buffeting could occur just before the stall with flaps down.

The airplane when at aft center of gravity and full gross weight at sea level would stall with the wing flaps set at 20-degrees at a true indicated airspeed (TIAS) of:

55 mph at 0-degrees angle of bank
59 mph at 30-degrees angle of bank
78 mph at 60-degrees angle of bank

To help avoid aerodynamic stalls, the airplane was equipped with a stall warning system. The stall warning system was comprised of a stall warning indicator (stall warning horn) which was mounted on the back of the glove compartment box, next to the firewall, and an actuating switch (stall vane) which was mounted on the leading edge of the left wing and was actuated by airflow over the surface of the wing. The switch would close as approximately 5 to 10 mph above the airplane stall speed.

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the stall warning indicator would provide protection from inadvertent stalls. It would give a warning whenever an aerodynamic stall was approached, regardless of speed, attitude, altitude, acceleration, or other factors, which could change the stalling speed.

Examination of the stall warning system did not reveal any anomalies, and testing of the actuating switch with a multimeter, indicated that it was functional.

Use of Wing Flaps

According to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, the wing flap control handle was operated by depressing the thumb button and moving the handle to the desired flap setting. By releasing the thumb button, the handle could be locked to provide 0, 20, 30, and 40-degree flap positions. The flaps could be lowered or raised during normal flying whenever the airspeed was less than 100 mph. The wing flaps could supply considerable lift and drag.

For takeoff, the flaps could be selected to the 0-degree (flaps up), or 20-degree (first notch), positions.

During the wreckage examination, the wing flap handle was found to be in the 20-degree (first notch) position, which according to the Cessna 180 Owner's Manual, would shorten the takeoff distance to clear a 50 foot obstacle as a result of slower forward speeds, even though the use of wing flaps would lessen the rate of climb. The use of 30 or 40 degrees of wing flaps was not recommended at any time for takeoff.

The manual also stated to "REMEMBER" that you "Don't under marginal conditions, leave wing flaps on long enough that you are losing both climb and airspeed. Don't raise wing flaps with airspeed below "Flaps Up stalling speed" and "Do slowly release the wing flaps as soon as you reasonably can after take-off, preferably 50 feet or more over terrain or obstacles."






NTSB Identification: ERA14FA417 
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, September 01, 2014 in North Hampton, NH
Aircraft: CESSNA 180, registration: N6510A
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On September 1, 2014, about 1050 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 180, N6510A, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after a loss of control during initial climb at Hampton Airfield (7B3), North Hampton, New Hampshire. The airline transport rated pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, destined for a private airport in Kingston, New Hampshire.

According to witness statements and video images, the takeoff occurred on runway 02 which was a 2,100 foot long by 170 foot wide turf covered runway. Comparison of the video footage to known landmarks on the airport indicated that after a ground run of approximately 890 feet the airplane lifted off, and the airplane angle of attack began to increase. Approximately 320 feet later its angle of attack was still increasing though its altitude was higher than a group of trees that were approximately 75 feet high located adjacent to the west side of the runway. Moments later the airplane rolled and yawed to the left, the angle of attack decreased through a level flight attitude, to a steep nose down attitude, and the airplane went out of view behind some trees. The sound of impact was then heard.

Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck trees in a nose low, left wing down attitude, and then impacted the ground in a 42 degree nose low attitude, on an approximate magnetic heading of 220 degrees, before coming to rest. The smell of fuel was present, and multiple branches and broken tree limbs displayed evidence of propeller strike marks.

Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction of the airplane or engine.

The fuselage was broken and bent in several places. The wings displayed crush and compression damage, were detached from their mounting locations, and approximately two feet of the outboard left wing was separated.

Flight control continuity was established from the flight controls to the cockpit, and the throttle control, mixture control, propeller control, and carburetor heat, were full in. The flap handle was in the 10-degree detent. The pilot seats' tracks showed evidence of pullout and cracking which was indicative of the pilot seats being in the locked position during the impact.

The propeller displayed evidence of S-bending and chordwise scratching. Drivetrain continuity was established from the front of the engine to the accessory pad on the back of the engine, and oil was present in the galleries and rocker boxes. Both magnetos produced spark and the upper spark plug electrodes appeared normal and light gray in color. Thumb compression was established on all cylinders, and fuel was present in the carburetor float bowl.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multi engine land, with commercial privileges for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and type ratings for the B-707, B-720, and B-727. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 11, 2013.

According to FAA and airplane maintenance records, the accident airplane was manufactured in 1956. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on June 6, 2014. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued approximately 3,225 total hours of operation.


KINGSTON, NH: Bruce Anderson, 66, of Kingston, N.H., died Monday in North Hampton, N.H. He was the son of the late Fredrick and Annette Anderson, and brother of the late Nancy Anderson. He is survived by a sister, Barbara Morrison Watts; nieces, Diane Page and Linda Nixon; nephews, Glenn Morrison and Steven Riel; seven great-nieces and great-nephews; and six great-great-nieces and gret-great-nephews. 

 Born in Haverhill, Mass., Bruce was a 1966 graduate of Haverhill High School and received his bachelor’s degree from Salem State College. Bruce was proprietor of Sunrise Tree Service.

With Bruce’s passing, Kingston has lost one of its most active, versatile, and dedicated citizens -- a good neighbor, friend and businessman, devoted to people, animals, nature, and history.

Bruce was active in the Kingston Lake Association (KLA), served as a Lake Host at the town landing, and ran the KLA's annual canoe and kayak regatta in August, with his trademark zest and wisecracks, as well as his dedication and sense of community spirit. As a member of Friends of Kingston Open Spaces (FOKOS), he helped the town acquire lands to protect the watershed quality and the rural nature of the town. With the Friends of the Church on the Plains, he worked to get the steeple roof repaired, gave his time to keeping up the grounds, and advocated for "the Pearl of the Plains" in town affairs.

An avid musician, singer and thespian, Bruce sang in many Christmas and spring concerts in that Church, with Voices of Distinction. In the 1990s, he was a stalwart member of the Encore Theatre Group, which performed in the town hall. He was memorable in many comic roles, notably starring in "Moon over Buffalo." His dramatic gifts were also appreciated in performances at the Newburyport Fire House Theater, where he performed in "Random Acts" (short plays written, cast, rehearsed, and performed in 24 hours) and in offerings of new plays by area writers.

In the early 2000s, Bruce studied for and passed the exam to become a Licensed Arborist, bringing a new level of expertise to his longtime tree service. He always loved trees and the woods, and knew how to connect to his customers too. He trained many young men to be both skilled and responsible employees. His love of the outdoors could be seen in his hiking, skiing, kayaking, fishing, motorcycling, and boating. Bruce always sought the adventure. He and Sadie are enjoying adventures together again.

A Celebration of Bruce’s Life will be held at 3 p.m., on Sunday, September 14, at Kingston Congregational Church, 6 Church St., Kingston, NH 03848. There will be a potluck reception following the celebration. Guests are invited to bring a favorite dish. All are invited to bring photos to share. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to The Friends of the Church on the Plains, www.churchontheplains.org/contact.html.


David E. Ingalls
Born in Plainfield, NJ on Apr. 24, 1937 
Departed on Sep. 1, 2014 and resided in Kingston, NH. 
Celebration of life: Saturday, Sep. 13, 2014 1:00 pm 
Cemetery: Greenwood Cemetery 

David (Dave) Ingalls
April 24, 1937 – September 1, 2014

David Edmond Ingalls was born to Edmond and Lita (Snell) Ingalls in Plainfield, New Jersey on April 24, 1937. He had an older brother Robert.

Dave came to Kingston with his family in 1948. He attended Bakie Elementary School and graduated from Sanborn Seminary in 1955. He graduated in 1959 from UNH. He was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and the ROTC program. He joined the United States Army in 1960 until 1963. He completed Army flight school and flew observation airplanes such as the Bird Dog and the Beaver. After the Berlin Wall went up, he was transferred from Colorado Springs to Germany. In 1963, he joined the NH Air National Guard and successfully completed Air Force pilot training, flying the T37 and T38. He flew the C97 for the NH and California Air National Guards. Dave completed resupply missions to Vietnam during the war. He joined Trans World Airlines (TWA) in 1965 and flew domestic and international flights in the Constellation, Boeing 727 and 707. He earned the TWA Award of Excellence and AOPA Superior Airmanship Award for the successful gear up landing at Chicago O'Hara airport on August 27, 1988. He finished his 27 year career with TWA as a Captain and check airman in 1992. One of his last flights was to Germany; he was there when the Berlin Wall came down. A piece of the wall sits on his fireplace mantel.

Dave came back to Kingston with his wife, Muriel in 1970 when they purchased Pine Acres on Main Street. Dave served faithfully to the community in many capacities. He joined the Kingston Conservation Commission and served as the forest project manager for many years. Under his leadership, the town established five forests with over 250 acres. He was instrumental in organizing the walking trails in the Valley Lane Forest off Hunt Road. The KCC has earned two forest awards for excellent forest management practices. One is from The Southeast Land Trust, and the other is the John Hoar Award from the Rockingham County Woodland Owner's Association. Dave and Muriel were instrumental in starting the Kingston Lake Association, Inc. Dave was on the Board of Trustees for the Sanborn Seminary, he served as secretary for many years. Dave was a member of the UNH Cooperative Extension. Dave was an active member of the First Congregational Church of Kingston where he served as deacon and trustee many times. Dave was a faithful and enthusiastic member of the Kingston community. The 2014 town report was dedicated to him for his many contributions and years of service to the community. He is survived by his beloved wife Muriel (Abbott) of 45 years, his son Jonathan and his daughter Elizabeth, Jon's wife Barbara (Tupper) and their three children; Kevin, Diane and Scott. His daughter Elizabeth just returned from a year long assignment in Afghanistan. He is also survived by his brother Robert and his wife Beverly (Robinson) and their four children, Douglas, Kim, Joseph, and Stephen and their wives and children. Other survivors include many cousins in northern New York, his mother in law, uncle in law, several sisters and brothers in laws and other extended family. He was loved by all and will be so greatly missed.

Dave's interment with military honors will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2014 at 12:00 PM at the Greenwood Cemetery on North Road in Kingston, NH followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 1:00 at the First Congregational Church on Church Street in Kingston. The community is welcome at all services. There will be a reception with refreshments at the Rent Memorial Fellowship Hall following the Celebration of Life Service. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to the Pastoral Care Fund of the First Congregational Church. This fund helps local families who need assistance during difficult times. It was one of Dave's favorite ways to give.

NORTH HAMPTON — Two men who were killed in a Cessna 180 plane crash at Hampton Airfield late Monday morning were identified as residents of Kingston by local officials.

 The men were pilot David Ingalls and his passenger, Bruce Anderson.

The plane crashed into a stand of trees shortly after takeoff at approximately 10:50 a.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

North Hampton Fire Chief Dennis Cote said the plane had landed to refuel and was departing when it “had some sort of issue” before the crash. Cote said an operations manager for the airfield located on Lafayette Road (Route 1) told him the crashed plane was not associated with the airfield or with an employee and guest appreciation barbecue that was being held at the time of the crash.

The FAA said it will conduct an investigation along with the National Transportation Safety Board. Cote said State Police, his department and North Hampton Police are assisting.

Hampton Airfield is home to the Airfield Cafe, a popular restaurant where customers watch airplanes while eating.

Cote said 150 people were in the area of the crash when it occurred.

“Fortunately, the aircraft didn't hit any of them,” he said.

Bob Lamothe of Hampton said he witnessed the crash while eating in the cafe.

“It looked like it was a normal takeoff,” Lamothe said. “He was 50 to 60 feet off the ground when he pitched up. I could see he was losing speed. He looked to be going about 30-40 mph when he took a hard left and banked as if he was standing up on his wing tips. And then he just dropped out of the sky.”

Lamothe said he heard a sound that sounded like cracking and crashing.

“It sounded like an electric transformer exploding,” he said.

The plane was registered to Ingalls, of 100 Main St., Kingston, according to the FAA registry. A NTSB official provided the registration number for the plane.

Ingalls, 77, is a Kingston icon. The 2013 town report was dedicated to him for his more than 30 years as a member of the town's Conservation Commission and the work he did for land preservation. In the town report dedication, Ingalls was named a lifetime honorary member of the commission. He also served as a deacon of his church.

“He did an awful lot for the town and he will be missed,” said Selectman Peter Broderick, who confirmed Ingalls' death. “I know he was a pilot. He was just a tremendous man. I knew him pretty well and all I can say is what a tragic thing this accident is. I don't know what to say other than that.”

“He used to auction off a plane ride each year at Kingston Days,” said resident Roxanne Moore. “He and his wife, Muriel, have done tons for this town.”

Kingston attorney Rick Russman was a friend of Ingalls. Together they worked on the Friends of Kingston Open Space group dedicated to land preservation.

Russman called Ingalls an experienced pilot.

“He began flying in the service, I believe,” Russman said. “He flew for TWA for many years on commercial and international flights. In fact, one year he was TWA's pilot of the year after he landed a plane at O'Hare airport safely when the landing gear did not drop down. He was a very skilled pilot.”

Russman said Ingalls' son was also a pilot.

The town report dedication said Ingalls was “instrumental in the protection of more than 2,000 acres of property through the (Land Conservation Investment Program), private donation, and conservation easements transferred to various agencies. His work with the commission has involved site walks, enforcement procedures, plan reviews, collaboration with the local FOKOS group and the state Department of Environmental Services, and many hours of training. He has served on the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension Service and has used his expertise as a pilot to perform aerial property inspections. His contribution has been invaluable, and he has helped to advise and inform each new commission member of the responsibilities and duties inherent in stewardship of the town's natural resources.”

Anderson was Ingalls' passenger, according to Kingston resident Ken Weyler, who serves as a state representative. He said Anderson owned a tree service and had just retired.

Weyler, also a pilot, said Ingalls was very experienced. He speculated that some type of engine failure — possibly bad fuel — may have caused the crash.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. — A New Hampshire airfield was in shock and mourning today after a local pilot with ties to the airport lost control of his small Cessna on takeoff, killing himself and a passenger.

“It’s just a very, very sad thing to see…we’ve never had anything of this magnitude happen here,” said Dana Thurston, 46, a veteran pilot with a plane at the North Hampton, N.H. airfield. “We are just going to reconvene as pilots and support each other because it’s going to be a day of mourning.”

Police, FAA investigators and a medical examiner are combing through the wreckage of the white and orange striped aircraft, which lies 50 yards from the small airstrip.

North Hampton Fire Chief Dennis Cote said the two male victims, both in their mid 60, died immediately upon impact.

“There was no suffering whatsoever. It was instantaneous,” he said.

Cote said that although the plane had just refueled there was no fire in the crash because “both wings were clipped by trees” causing “a rapid discharge of fuel. It wasn’t able to spark anything.”

The chief said that he was waiting for police to officially release the names of the victims, who had stopped at the airfield to refuel and pick up a passenger.

“I’m not sure what their intent was — if they were just going up for a ride,” he said.

Officials from the FAA and inspectors from NH Aeronautics were at the scene and will reconvene early tomorrow morning, when investigators from NTSB will arrive, the chief said.

Thurston said he knew the pilot who was killed, but not the passenger, noting that the pilot sometimes stored his plane here and at another private airfield elsewhere in New Hampshire.

“He’s a very experienced pilot. I know he was here this morning just to get gas. He was probably going to go home to his home field, which is a smaller, much more difficult field to navigate than this. This field is very safe…it’s a hundred feet wide, a very wide field and it’s long and in very good condition. I would say the field itself did not have anything to do with the crash,” he said.

Thurston, a commercial truck driver from Stratham who has been flying a plane for 20 years, said he did not want to speculate on the cause of the crash, noting there could be “30 different theories,” but said that the plane was in a vertical position when it appeared its wing stalled and lurched violently to the left.

“Unfortunately, the situation was that it stalled to one side and that it nosed down very violently. If you had enough room to recover, it would have been able to recover very easily from a stall like this,” he said. “But unfortunately, when you only have a couple hundred feet, it’s going to go into the ground…there’s 30 different things that could have gone wrong.”

Thurston described it as a “really, really unfortunate accident. Everyone here is in absolute state of shock and mourning. This will be a tough day for everybody…he was a super nice guy and a good pilot.”

The tragic accident occurred during the airfield’s annual Labor Day Lobsterbake event, which draws spectators to the 68-year-old airfield’s small cafe to watch pilots doing spot landings and a “flour bomb drop,” in which local pilots test their skills by dropping two-pound paper bags of flour onto targets from the air,

“This is usually one of our favorite days of the year. It’s our end-of-year celebration,” Thurston said.

The pilot that was killed and his passenger were not here for the Lobsterbake but simply had stopped off to get gas, he said. The festivities were cancelled.

NORTH HAMPTON, N.H. —Two people were killed when a small plane crashed at the Hampton Airfield around 11 a.m. Monday. 

 Witnesses said the plane was taking off when it appeared to stall and crash into some trees. They said the plane went into an abnormally vertical position then veered left and dropped into a stand of trees.

"It looked like a really nice takeoff, the plane was level and he was getting good altitude," said Bob Lamothe. "And then all of a sudden the plane pitched up and went very severely into the sky and you could see as he was going he was losing altitude."

Onlookers rushed to save the two people trapped inside the plane, but were not able to. 


The Cessna 180 airplane came to the airfield for fuel during an annual event where pilots test their skills. The pilot was apparently not taking part in the event, but just stopped at the airfield for gas. All events were cancelled for the day.

The National Transportation Safety Board said they were responding to the scene to begin an investigation into what caused the crash.

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