- Date
- July 17, 2010, 19:15 local (Jul 18, 2010, 03:15 UTC)
- Place
- New Stuyahok, AK
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N63022Cessna 172P
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- Parties
- FAA FSDO-03
- FAA report
- 20100717040559A
- Case key
- 76685
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, resulting in a collision with trees.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was departing from an off-airport site on a cross-country flight. According to the pilot, during the takeoff roll the airplane encountered a soft spot, which delayed the airplane's liftoff. He said that, following the delayed liftoff, he was unable to avoid trees near the departure end of the runway and that the right wing struck a tree before the airplane spun to the ground. The pilot reported that there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was departing from an off-airport site on a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot said during the takeoff roll the airplane encountered a soft spot, which delayed the airplane's liftoff. He said following the delayed liftoff, he was unable to avoid trees near the departure end of the runway. He said the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane spun to the ground. The pilot said there were no known mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N63022
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17275382
- Airframe hours
- 20,967
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian Geerdes
- Registered owner
- Flight Safety Alaska Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 9, 2010
- Departed
- New Stuyahok, AK
- Destination
- Mulchatna River, AK
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 490 total · 268 in this make and model · 397 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 46 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F
- Observed at
- PAEN, 60 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 8, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 926 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.