# NTSB SEA97LA059: Cessna 172N, N5618J, Madras, OR, February 7, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 6, 1997, 16:30 local (Feb 7, 1997, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Madras, OR - Coordinates: 44.600353, -121.050346 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.6004&lon=-121.0503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report October 14, 1997 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 42562 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA97LA059 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/42562/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA059 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Factors include the pilot's improper decision to fly under a low ceiling while in mountainous/hilly terrain, and his encounter with fog and low clouds while maneuvering in a narrow canyon. ## Analysis The pilot had been en route in visual meteorological conditions, but came to a point where it appeared low-level clouds stretched many miles ahead toward his destination. He therefore elected to attempt to fly underneath the overcast through the mountainous/hilly terrain that was between his location and his destination. While flying through a narrow canyon under the lowering ceiling, he encountered an area of fog and low clouds, and therefore elected to reverse course. During the reversal, the pilot inadvertently entered instrument meteorological conditions, and immediately initiated a climb. While attempting to climb out of the conditions, he saw an area of terrain that he thought he should try to crash land on. As he maneuvered to execute the crash landing, the aircraft impacted a tree, and the left wing separated from the fuselage. ## Factual narrative On February 6, 1997, approximately 1630 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172N, N5618J, collided with trees about 25 miles northwest of Madras, Oregon. The private pilot and one of his passengers received serious injuries, one passenger received minor injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which departed Klamath Falls, Oregon about two hours and twenty minutes earlier, was en route to The Dalles, Oregon. The flight, which was intended to be conducted entirely under visual flight rules, was in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT, which was activated by the impact, was the primary means of locating the wreckage. According to the pilot, he had been flying in visual meteorological conditions while en route to The Dalles, but he encountered an area of low-level clouds shortly after passing Madras, Oregon. He said that it appeared that the clouds stretched "many miles ahead," so he elected to attempt to fly under them. At first, the ceiling was about 3,000 feet above the ground level(AGL), but as he continued on toward The Dalles, the ceiling began to lower. While flying through a narrow canyon under the lowering ceiling, the pilot entered an area of low clouds and fog, and elected to reverse course. While making the course reversal, the pilot inadvertently entered IMC and immediately started to climb. While attempting to climb out of the IMC, the pilot saw an area of relatively open terrain through an opening in the clouds, and decided he should make a "controlled" crash landing on that terrain. While maneuvering toward the spot he had elected to crash land on, the aircraft impacted trees, and its left wing separated from the fuselage. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - weather condition - fog (contributing factor) - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5618J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5618J-2017-02-22), registration cancelled 2017-02-22, S/N 17273823, built 1980 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 172N - Registry model: [Cessna 172N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (registry code 2072434) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17272823 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Torres, C. & Orrante, R. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: LMT, KLAMATH FALLS, OR - Destination: DLS, THE DALLLES, OR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 356 total, 212 in this make and model, 245 as pilot in command, 11 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Visibility: 0.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 100 ft - Temperature: 64 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19970206001389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970206001389A), Feb 6, 1997: Cessna 172N, Madras, OR, Substantial damage. Scud run into canyon. Ceiling too low. While turning around struck trees. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.