What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 27, 2008, at 1521 EDT, a Cessna 177RG , N2088Q, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain while departing from newfound valley airport (2N2), Bristol, new hampshire. The pilot rated passenger performed the preflight, taxied the airplane to the end of the runway and performed the engine runup check and set flaps to 10 degrees. The pilot computed the aircraft's weight at 2,501 pounds, about 300 pounds below the airplanes maximum takeoff weight and that 1,500 feet would be needed to clear a 50 ft obstacle. The passenger then stated that she did not feel comfortable performing the takeoff. The pilot then assumed controls and initiated the takeoff. Rotation and initial climb were normal, however the pilot stated he was not sure if the aircraft would clear the trees so he increased the flap setting to 20 degrees. After the aircraft cleared the first group of trees he retracted the flaps to 10 degrees and retracted the landing gear. These two actions resulted in the aircraft loosiing altitude. The pilot stated he heard the stall warning sound as the aircraft impacted a second row of trees. The aircraft then impacted the terrain.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 27, 2008, AT 1521 EDT, A CESSNA 177RG , N2088Q, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TREES AND TERRAIN WHILE DEPARTING FROM NEWFOUND VALLEY AIRPORT (2N2), BRISTOL, NEW HAMPSHIRE. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER PERFORMED THE PREFLIGHT, TAXIED THE AIRPLANE TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND PERFORMED THE ENGINE RUNUP CHECK AND SET FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES. THE PILOT COMPUTED THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT AT 2,501 POUNDS, ABOUT 300 POUNDS BELOW THE AIRPLANES MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT AND THAT 1,500 FEET WOULD BE NEEDED TO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE. THE PASSENGER THEN STATED THAT SHE DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE PERFORMING THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT THEN ASSUMED CONTROLS AND INITIATED THE TAKEOFF. ROTATION AND INITIAL CLIMB WERE NORMAL, HOWEVER THE PILOT STATED HE WAS NOT SURE IF THE AIRCRAFT WOULD CLEAR THE TREES SO HE INCREASED THE FLAP SETTING TO 20 DEGREES. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE FIRST GROUP OF TREES HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES AND RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR. THESE TWO ACTIONS RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT LOOSIING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING SOUND AS THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A SECOND ROW OF TREES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN IMPACTED THE TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.