- Date
- May 22, 2001, 17:00 local (May 23, 2001, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sunriver, OR
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7815DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration - FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010522010859A
- Case key
- 52339
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 failure to maintain clearance from trees during initial climb. Trees were a factor.
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 pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off from the dirt airstrip, he extended full flaps. The airplane achieved an ascent rate of about 500 feet per minute and attained an altitude to just clear the surrounding trees when the altitude decreased by about 20 to 30 feet and the airspeed dropped about 15 to 20 MPH. There was not sufficient runway left to land the airplane so the pilot continued the takeoff. The airplane did not attain sufficient altitude and collided with trees. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On May 22, 2001, approximately 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N7815D, registered to and operated by the private pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees during the takeoff climb from a private airstrip seven miles southwest of Sunriver, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger received minor injuries.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that the takeoff was on runway 4, a 3,600 foot long private dirt airstrip at an elevation of 4,300 feet mean sea level. The aircraft lifted off in about 1,900 feet, and at this time the pilot extended full flaps and the aircraft achieved an ascent rate of about 500 feet per minute. About 3,100 feet down the airstrip, the aircraft attained an altitude to clear the surrounding trees, but then shortly thereafter, decreased altitude by 20 to 30 feet and the airspeed dropped about 15 to 20 miles per hour. There was not sufficient runway left to land the aircraft so the pilot continued the takeoff climb. The tree line was lower to the south and the pilot turned the aircraft slightly in an attempt to avoid colliding with trees. The tail of the aircraft collided with a tree and the aircraft turned to the right and subsequently collided with the ground.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7815D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-5461
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Paul C. Patrick
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Sunriver, OR
- Airport
- runway 40, 3,600 × 100 ft, dirt
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
- 49
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 60 in this make and model · 300 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.