- Date
- December 25, 1998, 18:45 local (Dec 26, 1998, 02:45 UTC)
- Place
- Bellingham, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2355YCessna 177
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981225044239A
- Case key
- 45564
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
Inadequate preflight planning/preparation, and the pilot's failure to maintain altitude. VFR flight into IMC conditions and cloudy weather conditions were factors.
Analysis
The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, during the ascent, he encountered instrument meteorological conditions at 500 feet AGL, and initiated a turn back to the airport. During the turn, the aircraft lost a considerable amount of altitude and collided with multiple tree tops. The pilot was able to continue to the airport and land without further incident. The pilot stated he did not receive a formal weather briefing from a flight service station and relied solely on the automated surface observation system report at the airport.
Factual narrative
On December 25, 1998, about 1845 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 177 Cardinal, N2355Y, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 pleasure flight, was substantially damaged after colliding with tree tops shortly after departure from the Bellingham Airport (BLI), Bellingham Washington. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and his passenger were uninjured. There was no fire, and no report of an ELT actuating. The flight originated from the Bellingham Airport approximately 10 minutes prior to the accident.
The pilot stated that shortly after take off, during the ascent, he encountered instrument meteorological conditions at approximately 500 feet above ground level and initiated a turn back to the airport. The pilot stated that "During the turn, I apparently overreacted and increased the bank angle to the extent that it began losing altitude. My instrument scan was poor and I realize now that I was spending too much time looking outside for ground reference." The pilot leveled the wings. However, the airplane continued to descend and collided with tree tops. The pilot was able to continue to the airport and land without further incident. The pilot also stated he did not receive a formal weather briefing from a flight service station and relied solely on the automated weather observing system report at the Bellingham airport.
At 1856, the Bellingham automated weather observing system was reporting wind from 350 degrees at eight knots. Visibility was four miles with light rain. The sky condition was reported as a few clouds at 800 feet and overcast at 1,400 feet.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2355Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 177
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17700155
- Airframe hours
- 1,798
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Joseph S. Heagney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 1998 · 35 hours before
- Departed
- BLI · Bellingham, WA
- Destination
- ORS · Eastsound, WA
- Airport
- BLI · Bellingham International, runway 34, 6,751 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,053 total · 934 in this make and model · 1,007 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 329° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BLI, 1 nm away
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 N2355Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.