20080901850279A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172M · Three Lakes, WI · September 1, 2008

Date: September 1, 2008 · 15:30 local
Place: Three Lakes, WI
Airport: Three Lakes Municipal
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N12809
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI08CA287
Reported as: Cessna 172M
Reported engine: Lycoming O320*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 250 total214 in this make and model10 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.

(-23) On September 1, 2008, at 1528 CDT, the pilot of a Cessna 172M, N12809, was distracted by the pilot door coming open just after takeoff on runway 21 at Three Lakes Municipal Airport tree lakes, WI. The pleasure flight was conducted in visual meteorological conditions and a flight plan had not been filed. The pilot received minor injuries to the head but the aircraft was totally destroyed. The pilot reported that he opened the window and tried to close the door but it felt like something was obstructing the closing. Turning his body to look behind the seat caused an increase pitch up attitude and when he return to flying the aircraft had a high pitch angle and slow airspeed. The pilot then pitch the aircraft nose down but was now approaching trees and a campground. The pilot then attempted to turn back toward the airfield but contacted a tree with his left wing and crashed into trees.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2008, AT 1528 CDT, THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 172M, N12809, WAS DISTRACTED BY THE PILOT DOOR COMING OPEN JUST AFTER TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 21 AT THREE LAKES MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TREE LAKES, WI. THE PLEASURE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND A FLIGHT PLAN HAD NOT BEEN FILED. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES TO THE HEAD BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE OPENED THE WINDOW AND TRIED TO CLOSE THE DOOR BUT IT FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS OBSTRUCTING THE CLOSING. TURNING HIS BODY TO LOOK BEHIND THE SEAT CAUSED AN INCREASE PITCH UP ATTITUDE AND WHEN HE RETURN TO FLYING THE AIRCRAFT HAD A HIGH PITCH ANGLE AND SLOW AIRSPEED. THE PILOT THEN PITCH THE AIRCRAFT NOSE DOWN BUT WAS NOW APPROACHING TREES AND A CAMPGROUND. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO TURN BACK TOWARD THE AIRFIELD BUT CONTACTED A TREE WITH HIS LEFT WING AND CRASHED INTO 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.

NTSB CHI08CA287Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportThree Lakes, WIThe pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude to avoid the trees during initial climb. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to ensure the security of the entrance door before takeoff and the unintentional opening of the door.Sep 1, 2008 · Substantial damage