SEA01LA011

While flying very low over forested mountainous terrain, the aircraft encountered a downdraft that caused it to suddenly sink. Before the pilot was able to take corrective action, one of the aircraft's wings collided with a tree, and it cart wheeled into the terrain. After the aircraft came to rest, a fire erupted that consumed about 50 percent of the aircraft structure.

On October 30, 2000, approximately 0800 Pacific standard time, a Canadian-registered Cessna 172, C-GDNN, collided with a tree during low-level maneuvering about 7 miles northeast of Conconully, Washington. The pilot, who held a Canadian private pilot's license, and his passenger both received minor injuries. The aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal pleasure flight, which departed Princeton Airport, Princeton, British Columbia, Canada, about 45 minutes earlier, was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed. There was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the pilot, who did not return the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, he took off for a local sightseeing flight, and once airborne decided to cross the United States/Canadian border in order to show his passenger some of the terrain in northern Washington. He said that at the time of the accident, he was heading back toward Canada while flying very low over the trees. Reportedly, he encountered a downdraft, which made the aircraft suddenly sink. According to the pilot, before he could take corrective action, one wing collided with a tree, and the aircraft cart wheeled into the forest. After coming to rest, it caught fire. The pilot and his passenger were able to exit the aircraft, but approximately 50 percent of the aircraft structure was consumed by the fire.