- Date
- August 6, 2021, 11:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Metaline Falls, WA · 2180 ft northeast of center of Metaline Falls Airport (09S), Metaline Falls, Washington
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5459CCessna 170A
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20210806013469A
- Case key
- 103650
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 during the initial climb to clear trees due to an encounter with windshear.
Findings · 3
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, during takeoff initial climb, as the airplane passed over the departure end of the runway, it stopped climbing and started to sink. The pilot thought it was windshear and initiated a right turn to avoid trees, while lowering the nose to regain airspeed. The airplane subsequently descended into trees and terrain. The fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5459C
- Reported as
- Cessna 170A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 19493
- Built
- 1950
- Airframe hours
- 2,585
- Engine
- Cont Motor C145-2, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2021 · 17 hours before
- Departed
- 09S · Metaline Falls, WA
- Destination
- DEW · Deer Park, WA
- Airport
- 09S · Sullivan Lake State, runway 34, 1,765 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B
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
- 57
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 23, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 22,000 total · 177 in this make and model · 17,500 as pilot in command · 210 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- K63S, 35 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 N5459C · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.