# NTSB WPR25LA211: Cessna 172S, N787LF, Sisters, OR, July 13, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: July 13, 2025, 11:06 local (18:06 UTC) - Place: Sisters, OR · rural residential area - Coordinates: 44.304458, -121.53909 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.3045&lon=-121.5391&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 minor - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 200546 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA211 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200546/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA211 ## Preliminary report On July 13, 2025, about 1106 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N787LF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sisters, Oregon. The flight instructor was seriously injured, and the student pilot and pilot rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. On the day of the accident the trio met at Aurora State Airport (UAO), Aurora, Oregon, for a local area flight. The pilot-rated passenger stated that she does not fly frequently arranged for the flight instructor to act as a safety pilot, while she initially flew the first leg of the flight. They originally wanted to fly toward the coast but due to poor weather conditions they opted to fly to Sisters Eagle Air Airport (6K5), Sisters, Oregon. After landing at 6K5, the airplane was secured, and they went into town. After returning to the airplane, they decided that the return flight to UAO would be a discovery flight for the student pilot. The flight instructor was seated in the front right seat; the student pilot was seated in the front left seat and the pilot rated passenger was seated in the left rear seat. The student pilot and pilot rated passenger noted that the flight instructor did not conduct a preflight inspection of the airplane or use any checklist while starting the engine or while taxiing the airplane for takeoff. The flight instructor reported that upon returning to the airport, he made note of the temperature and estimated they had enough runway to clear the 50 ft obstacles. For the return flight, the pilot rated passenger wanted the flight to be the student pilot’s first introductory flight. The flight instructor configured the airplane with 10° flaps extended, leaned the engine for best power, and utilized the displaced threshold for both taxiing and takeoff on runway 2. He believed the engine was not developing full power, as the airspeed was not building as quickly as he expected. The airplane lifted off the ground, however, had insufficient engine power to sustain the initial climb. The airplane was in a nose-high attitude and the flight instructor realized that the airplane could stall. He lowered the nose and placed the airplane in a “coordinated stall,” while directing the airplane toward an open area. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees and impacted terrain. After the airplane had came to rest, the student pilot exited the airplane and then assisted both the pilot rated passenger and flight instructor with exiting the airplane. As they exited the airplane, it caught fire. A pilot-rated witness near the accident location reported that, while at 6K5, he watched the airplane taxi to the runway, and takeoff to the north. He further observed that during the takeoff initial climb, the airplane had a high angle of attack and appeared to narrowly miss the tree line, and shortly thereafter made a sharp left turn, and continued line of sight. Shortlyafter, the witness then saw a cloud of dust followed by a plume of black smoke. He added that he did not hear any engine anomalies during the takeoff. The wreckage was recovered for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 172S, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2072439), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N787LF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N787LF), registered now, S/N 172S11125, built 2011 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S - Registry model: [Cessna 172S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (registry code 2072439) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-360-L2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (registry code 41597, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172S11125 - Year built: 2011 - Airframe hours: 5514.8 - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Fly North of Known LLC. - Registered owner: H&R Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 25, 2025 - Destination: UAO, Aurora, OR - Airport: 6K5, Sisters Eagle Air - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 52 °F - Altimeter: 30.15 inHg - Observed at: KRDM, 17 nm away - METAR: KRDM 131756Z 31007KT 10SM CLR 29/11 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP179 T02940106 10294 20133 58001 ## 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 20250713008929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250713008929A), Jul 13, 2025: Cessna 172S, Sisters, OR, Destroyed. On the morning of 07/13/2025 a Cessna 172 departed aurora state airport (uao) shortly after 08:00 am on a flight to Sisters Eagle Air Airport (6K5). The plane… ## Other investigations on N787LF (1) 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. - [NTSB ERA12CA369](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12CA369), May 27, 2012: Cessna 172 (N787LF), Gainesville, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot's improper use of the flight controls during the takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s interference with… 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.