- Date
- June 14, 2009, 08:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hell's Canyon, OR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3761ZPiper PA-18-150
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 14, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090614008579A
- Case key
- 74046
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.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while on final approach to the runway, he turned slightly to the right to better align the airplane with the runway. As the airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, the right wing struck a small tree. Subsequently the airplane yawed to the right and impacted the ground resulting in structural damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airplane flight control system prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on final approach to the runway, he turned slightly to the right to better align the airplane with the runway. As the airplane crossed the approach end of the runway, the right wing struck a small tree. Subsequently the airplane yawed to the right and impacted the ground resulting in structural damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the engine or airplane flight control system prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3761Z
- Reported as
- Piper PA-18-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18-7523
- Airframe hours
- 4,705
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary Lazenby
- Registered owner
- Solar Club Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 6, 2009 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- S80 · Grangeville, ID
- Destination
- N/A · Hell's Canyon, OR
- Airport
- N/A · Salmon Bar, runway 15, 750 × 60 ft, gravel
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 15, 2007
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 464 total · 183 in this make and model · 394 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F
- Observed at
- 44 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 24, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 490 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.