- Date
- March 5, 2005, 17:15 local (Mar 6, 2005, 01:15 UTC)
- Place
- Waldport, OR
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8100LCessna 172H
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Portland FSDO
- FAA report
- 20050305003079A
- Case key
- 61111
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 attain sufficient altitude/clearance during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees. A factor was the tall grass on the turf runway, which slowed the airplane's acceleration during the takeoff roll.
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
According to the pilot, the 2,000-foot-long turf runway was covered with "heavy grass and moss." The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane "encountered considerable drag from the turf and moss on the runway." After takeoff, "there was not enough speed or distance to climb over the trees at the end of the runway and the airplane clipped the tops of the trees." The airplane came to rest nose down in the trees. The right wing was folded back against the fuselage, and the left wing had a large dent in the leading edge.
Factual narrative
On March 5, 2005, about 1715 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172H, N8100L, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during the takeoff initial climb from runway 16 at Wakonda Beach State Airport near Waldport, Oregon. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured, and the other two passengers sustained minor injuries. The personal flight was being operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating when the accident occurred, and the intended destination was Albany, Oregon.
The pilot reported that the 2,000-foot-long turf runway was covered with "heavy grass and moss." During the takeoff roll, the airplane "encountered considerable drag from the turf and moss on the runway." After takeoff, "there was not enough speed or distance to climb over the trees at the end of the runway and the airplane clipped the tops of the trees."
An FAA inspector visited the accident site and reported that the airplane came to rest nose down in the trees. The right wing was folded back against the fuselage, and the left wing had a large dent in the leading edge.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8100L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17256300
- Engine
- Continental O-300, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- R33 · Waldport, OR
- Destination
- S12 · Albany, OR
- Airport
- R33 · Wakonda Beach State, runway 16, 2,000 × 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
- 42
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- December 30, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 194 total · 135 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
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 N8100L · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.