19980620014459A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Milford, NY · June 20, 1998

Date: June 20, 1998 · 08:45 local
Place: Milford, NY
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7437A
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC98LA130
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental O300B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 802 total282 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4) The pilot diverted to a private grass strip to wait for fog to clear at his intended destination. During the subsequent takeoff roll, the pilot felt the airplane hit a soft spot, and he believed he was too close to the end of the runway to abort. During the initital climb, the pilot felt he could not clear electrical wires, so he drove under them. In the process, he struck a tree and crash landed in a field. The pilot did not hear a stall warning horn during the takeoff and climb. (-23) pilot and passenger were departing to the north on a wet, grass field, 1300 feet in length. Pilot reported airplane became airborne, was at 15 feet above the ground, airspeed of 60 knots. Pilot then reduced the nose high attitude of the aircraft and observed electric power lines at end of the runway. Pilot attempted to fly under the wires, striking trees. Aircraft received substantial damage and no injuries occurred to the pilot or the one passenger.

As the FAA filed it

(.4) THE PILOT DIVERTED TO A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP TO WAIT FOR FOG TO CLEAR AT HIS INTENDED DESTINATION. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE HIT A SOFT SPOT, AND HE BELIEVED HE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO ABORT. DURING THE INITITAL CLIMB, THE PILOT FELT HE COULD NOT CLEAR ELECTRICAL WIRES, SO HE DROVE UNDER THEM. IN THE PROCESS, HE STRUCK A TREE AND CRASH LANDED IN A FIELD. THE PILOT DID NOT HEAR A STALL WARNING HORN DURING THE TAKEOFF AND CLIMB. (-23) PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE DEPARTING TO THE NORTH ON A WET, GRASS FIELD, 1300 FEET IN LENGTH. PILOT REPORTED AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, WAS AT 15 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS. PILOT THEN REDUCED THE NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND OBSERVED ELECTRIC POWER LINES AT END OF THE RUNWAY. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDER THE WIRES, STRIKING TREES. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND NO INJURIES OCCURRED TO THE PILOT OR THE ONE PASSENGER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC98LA130Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMilford, NYThe pilot's decision to intentionally fly below wires, which resulted in the collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the soft grass airstrip.Jun 20, 1998 · Substantial damage