Piper PA-18 N7502K

Summary

On 16 October 2001 at about 22:50 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N7502K was involved in an accident near Sandy, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 October 2001 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Sandy, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.3791, -122.2298

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N7502K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madras → Country Squire

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02FA005

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees while attempting to land in a field after entering an area of instrument meteorological conditions. Factors include low ceilings, rain, fog, strong winds, mountainous/hilly terrain, the pilot's intentional flight into an area of instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to check forecast weather conditions prior to the flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a visual flight rules (VFR) cross country flight, the student pilot encountered, and intentionally entered, instrument meteorological conditions. Although his passenger requested that he turn around, the pilot elected to attempt to reach his intended destination. Eventually the flight encountered a squall line with its associated rain, clouds, mist, and high winds. When he thought he was in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot, who was navigating primarily with a hand-held global positioning system (GPS), descended to just under the clouds. While maneuvering under very low ceiling in strong winds and heavy rain, he spotted a clearing in the forested terrain, and decided to land there. While he was on short final to the clearing, the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to collide with a tree, after which it traveled another 285 feet before impacting the ground. The student pilot had not received the required solo cross-country CFI pre-flight endorsement, and there was no record of him acquiring a weather briefing prior to the initiation of the flight or during any intermediate stop.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.