What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 21, 2001, approximately 0900 pacific daylight time, a Cessna 120, N90077, collided with trees about seven miles east of Troutdale, Oregon. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received serious injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The pilot departed portland-hillsboro airport, hillsboro, Oregon about 30 minutes prior to the accident, and was en rout to pendleton, Oregon. The 14 CFR, part 91 personal cross-country flight, which the pilot intended to conduct under visual meteorological conditions, inadvertently entered instrument meteorological conditions just prior to impacting the trees. No flight plan had been filed. The ELT, which was activated by the impact sequence, was turned off at the scene. According to the pilot, he was flying east through the columbia gorge when he became distracted by what appeared to be a malfunctioning attitude indicator. While looking at the attitude indicator, he became distracted, and when he looked up again, the aircraft had entered the clouds. The pilot estimated that it was less than five seconds after the entered the clouds that the aircraft encountered t he trees. (-23) aircraft departed hio at approx 0800 and headed eastbound to go through the columbia gorge. Approx 20-25 minutes into flight, acft was southeast of Troutdale airport at 1500 feet. Pilot noticed that the cloud bases appeared to be lower than forecast. He glanced down to check his altitude and saw that the venturi driven attitude indicator was tumbled. He got momentarily fixated on the inoperative attitude indicator for approx 1 min. When he looked up he was in the clouds. Approx 3-5 seconds later he hit the trees.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 21, 2001, APPROXIMATELY 0900 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 120, N90077, COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT SEVEN MILES EAST OF TROUTDALE, OREGON. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT DEPARTED PORTLAND-HILLSBORO AIRPORT, HILLSBORO, OREGON ABOUT 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS EN ROUT TO PENDLETON, OREGON. THE 14 CFR, PART 91 PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, WHICH THE PILOT INTENDED TO CONDUCT UNDER VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TREES. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE ELT, WHICH WAS ACTIVATED BY THE IMPACT SEQUENCE, WAS TURNED OFF AT THE SCENE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS FLYING EAST THROUGH THE COLUMBIA GORGE WHEN HE BECAME DISTRACTED BY WHAT APPEARED TO BE A MALFUNCTIONING ATTITUDE INDICATOR. WHILE LOOKING AT THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, HE BECAME DISTRACTED, AND WHEN HE LOOKED UP AGAIN, THE AIRCRAFT HAD ENTERED THE CLOUDS. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THAT IT WAS LESS THAN FIVE SECONDS AFTER THE ENTERED THE CLOUDS THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED T HE TREES. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED HIO AT APPROX 0800 AND HEADED EASTBOUND TO GO THROUGH THE COLUMBIA GORGE. APPROX 20-25 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT, ACFT WAS SOUTHEAST OF TROUTDALE AIRPORT AT 1500 FEET. PILOT NOTICED THAT THE CLOUD BASES APPEARED TO BE LOWER THAN FORECAST. HE GLANCED DOWN TO CHECK HIS ALTITUDE AND SAW THAT THE VENTURI DRIVEN ATTITUDE INDICATOR WAS TUMBLED. HE GOT MOMENTARILY FIXATED ON THE INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR FOR APPROX 1 MIN. WHEN HE LOOKED UP HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS. APPROX 3-5 SECONDS LATER HE HIT THE TREES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.