- Date
- March 14, 2002, 14:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rainier, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8065ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA- Seattle FSDO, NM01
- FAA report
- 20020314006229A
- Case key
- 54348
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 the proper decent rate on approach. A factor was the trees in close proximity to the airport.
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 was attempting to land to the southwest on a grass runway. As he cleared the tree line, the pilot reduced power and increased his sink rate. The pilot noticed that the aircraft was descending too fast and added power, however, the airplane continued to settle and collided with trees. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain approximately 100 feet short of the intended runway. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures at the time of the accident.
Factual narrative
On March 14, 2002, about 1400 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 170B, N8065A, sustained substantial damage after colliding with trees and terrain at Taylor Airport (3WA0), a private airstrip near Rainier, Washington. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane is owned by a private party, and was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) personal/pleasure flight under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Western Airpark, Yelm, Washington, approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident.
In a written statement, the pilot reported that as he cleared the trees on final approach, he "...eased the nose over and powered back to descend to the runway. The aircraft began to settle very fast (much more than usual), I added power, but before the power could take hold, the left wing struck a tree about 2 inches from the tip." The aircraft then collided with nearby trees as it fell to the ground, and came to rest nose down approximately 100 feet from the approach end of the runway.
At 1354, the Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at Olympia, Washington (KOLM), approximately 11 nautical miles west of the accident site, reported winds 220 degrees at 11 knots, few clouds at 2900 feet, broken clouds at 4800 feet, visibility 10 statue miles, temperature 6 degrees Celsius, dew point 1 degree Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.23 inches.
The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failure on the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8065A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 20917
- Airframe hours
- 2,132.6
- Engine
- Continental C-145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 14, 2002 · 0.2 hours before
- Departed
- WA72 · Yelm, WA
- Destination
- 3WA0 · Rainier, WA
- Airport
- 3WA0 · Taylor Airport, runway 15, 1,600 × 50 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
- 70
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2001
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 19,000 total · 15,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,800 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KOLM, 11 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 26, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 326 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.
Other investigations on N8065A · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.