- Date
- June 9, 2002, 14:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Forest Lake, MN
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8717HNavion Navion A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 4, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20020609013749A
- Case key
- 54917
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 not performing an aborted takeoff. The soft turf runway and power lines were contributing factors.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was damaged when it impacted terrain following a collision with power lines on takeoff from the soft runway (2,650 feet by 150 feet, turf). The pilot reported that the airplane was slow in accelerating and that after lift off the airplane's left main landing gear snagged a power line. No anomalies with respect to the airframe, power plant, or systems were determined to have existed prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
On June 9, 2002, at 1420 central daylight time, a Navion Navion A, N8717H, piloted by a private pilot was substantially damaged when it struck power lines and subsequently impacted terrain during takeoff and climb from runway 13 (2,650 feet by 150 feet, turf) at the Forest Lake Airport (25D), Forest Lake, Minnesota. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to the Council Bluffs Municipal Airport (CBF), Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The pilot stated in a written statement, "Acceleration slow. Lift off [at] 75 mph. Climb slow. Avoided obstructions except for power line. The left main gear struck power line. This spun aircraft 180 [degrees]. Aircraft landed in marsh across the road from the airport."
The pilot reported that the runway surface was "moist" at the time of the accident.
No anomalies with respect to the airframe, power plant, or systems were determined to have existed prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8717H
- Reported as
- Navion Navion A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4-717
- Airframe hours
- 4,043
- Engine
- Continental E-225, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert Douglas Sellers
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 28, 2002 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- 25D · Forest Lake, MN
- Destination
- CBF · Council Bluffs, IA
- Airport
- 25D · Forest Lake, runway 31, 2,650 × 150 ft, grass/turf
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- January 11, 2002
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 711 total · 115 in this make and model · 539 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 17 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- ANE, 10 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 288 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.