What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The flight was a civil air patrol instructional flight. The accident occurred during the first traffic pattern right after the initial take off.
The pilot flying stated that on downwind to runway 7, it was his understanding that it was going to be a practice engine out landing. Whereas, the certified flight instructor stated that it was her understanding the it was going to be a normal approach to landing, and not a practice power off landing. Both pilots stated that on short final the plane was right of centerline. As correction was made to the left, both the pilot flying and certified flight instructor noticed the aircraft was low. The pilot flying and certified flight instructor stated they needed more power, and when the certified flight instructor reached for the throttle, the left wing struck the top of the tree, initiating the accident sequence.
The tree that was struck had impact marks at the top of the tree, approximately 18 feet high. The tree was located 100 feet from the beginning of runway 7. Runway 7 has a displaced threshold of 580 feet. Given this, the aircraft was at 18 feet AGL when it struck the tree, 680 feet from the landing threshold of the runway.
As the FAA filed it
THE FLIGHT WAS A CIVIL AIR PATROL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST TRAFFIC PATTERN RIGHT AFTER THE INITIAL TAKE OFF.
THE PILOT FLYING STATED THAT ON DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 7, IT WAS HIS UNDERSTANDING THAT IT WAS GOING TO BE A PRACTICE ENGINE OUT LANDING. WHEREAS, THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT IT WAS HER UNDERSTANDING THE IT WAS GOING TO BE A NORMAL APPROACH TO LANDING, AND NOT A PRACTICE POWER OFF LANDING. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL THE PLANE WAS RIGHT OF CENTERLINE. AS CORRECTION WAS MADE TO THE LEFT, BOTH THE PILOT FLYING AND CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOW. THE PILOT FLYING AND CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THEY NEEDED MORE POWER, AND WHEN THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REACHED FOR THE THROTTLE, THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TOP OF THE TREE, INITIATING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
THE TREE THAT WAS STRUCK HAD IMPACT MARKS AT THE TOP OF THE TREE, APPROXIMATELY 18 FEET HIGH. THE TREE WAS LOCATED 100 FEET FROM THE BEGINNING OF RUNWAY 7. RUNWAY 7 HAS A DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF 580 FEET. GIVEN THIS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 18 FEET AGL WHEN IT STRUCK THE TREE, 680 FEET FROM THE LANDING THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.