What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During a down-wind take-off from Forest Lake Airport MN, a navion N8717H struck power wires with main landing gear, spun around and crashed into a swamp approximately 400 feet past the end of the runway. Witnesses said aircraft made a 30 to 40 degree turn to the left, to avoid trees, on take off and when Mr. Sellers cleared the end of the runway he was 8 feet off the ground. Witnesses also said the aircraft took off with a 20 knot tail wind, aircraft was wobbling and banked at 30 degrees when it struck the wires. Aircraft was totally destroyed. Pilot sustained minor back injuries and passenger sustained major back injuries. Pilot said to medical technician that runway was spongy. An inspector from this FSDO was on scene within an hour and verified that the runway was not spongy, it was firm with freshly cut sod. An on-scene power crew told the FAA inspector that the wires the aircraft struck were 38 feet high. Witness also mentioned other pilots had said this navion N8717H initially landed at Forest Lake Airport down wind. (.19) on June 9, 2002, at 1420 central daylight time, a navion navion-a, N8717H, piloted by a private pilot was destroyed when it struck power lines a ND subsequently impacted terrain during takeoff and climb from runway 13 (2,650 feet by 150 feet, turf) at the Forest Lake Airport (25D), Forest Lake, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under provisions of 14 CFR part 91, and not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger suffered serious injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The destination is unknown.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING A DOWN-WIND TAKE-OFF FROM FOREST LAKE AIRPORT MN, A NAVION N8717H STRUCK POWER WIRES WITH MAIN LANDING GEAR, SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED INTO A SWAMP APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. WITNESSES SAID AIRCRAFT MADE A 30 TO 40 DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT, TO AVOID TREES, ON TAKE OFF AND WHEN MR. SELLERS CLEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY HE WAS 8 FEET OFF THE GROUND. WITNESSES ALSO SAID THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF WITH A 20 KNOT TAIL WIND, AIRCRAFT WAS WOBBLING AND BANKED AT 30 DEGREES WHEN IT STRUCK THE WIRES. AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR BACK INJURIES AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MAJOR BACK INJURIES. PILOT SAID TO MEDICAL TECHNICIAN THAT RUNWAY WAS SPONGY. AN INSPECTOR FROM THIS FSDO WAS ON SCENE WITHIN AN HOUR AND VERIFIED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS NOT SPONGY, IT WAS FIRM WITH FRESHLY CUT SOD. AN ON-SCENE POWER CREW TOLD THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT THE WIRES THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK WERE 38 FEET HIGH. WITNESS ALSO MENTIONED OTHER PILOTS HAD SAID THIS NAVION N8717H INITIALLY LANDED AT FOREST LAKE AIRPORT DOWN WIND. (.19) ON JUNE 9, 2002, AT 1420 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A NAVION NAVION-A, N8717H, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT STRUCK POWER LINES A ND SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB FROM RUNWAY 13 (2,650 FEET BY 150 FEET, TURF) AT THE FOREST LAKE AIRPORT (25D), FOREST LAKE, MINNESOTA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING UNDER PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91, AND NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE DESTINATION IS UNKNOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.