# Accident 19980713025619A: Cessna 152, Milton-Freewate, OR, July 13, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 1998, 18:15 local time
- Place: Milton-Freewate, OR
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.8994° N, 118.3402° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8994&lon=-118.3402&mi=10
- Aircraft: N24823, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N24823-2013-08-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 152 (registry code 2071835, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-152) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 152
- Reported engine: LYC O235L2C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 225 total, 192 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA98LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA135) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980713025619A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE FLYING IN MOUNTAINOUS RISING TERRAIN, 'I DECIDED THAT THE TERRAIN AROUND US ARE SIC  RISING RATHER QUICKLY SO I STARTED TO CLIMB.  AS I WAS CLIMBING  THE  AIRPLANE WASN'T PERFORMING TOO WELL DUE TO HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.  SINCE I WAS SURROUNDED BY VALLEY A TURN WAS NOT MY OPTION.'  HE FURTHER REPORTED THAT, 'I DECIDED TO FLY STRAIGHT WITHOUT LOSING ANYMORE AIRSPEED,  AND  I IMPACTED  A  SERIES OF TREES AT  THE  VERY TOP OF THE HILL,' FOLLOWED BY GROUND IMPACT.  THE CALCULATED DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE (4,200 FEET ABOVE SEA LEVEL)  WAS 6,861 FEET. (-23) SIGHT SEEING IN A CANYON - COULD NOT FLY AIRCRAFT OUT OF THE CANYON.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA98LA135](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA98LA135), Jul 14, 1998: Cessna 152 (N24823), Miltonfreewater, OR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilots failure to maintain proper terrain clearance. Factors contributing to the accident are high density altitude and rising terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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