# Accident 20080901850279A: Cessna 172M, Three Lakes, WI, September 1, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 2008, 15:30 local time
- Place: Three Lakes, WI
- Airport: Three Lakes Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7903° N, 89.1208° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7903&lon=-89.1208&mi=10
- Aircraft: N12809 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O320*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 250 total, 214 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI08CA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA287) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080901850279A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 CHI08CA287](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08CA287), Sep 1, 2008: Cessna 172M (N12809), Three Lakes, WI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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