Cessna 172F N8649U

Summary

On 21 June 2006 at about 00:00 local time, a Cessna 172F registered N8649U was involved in an accident near Marietta, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 June 2006 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Marietta, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

McGehee Catfish Rest Airport (T40)

Coordinates

33.8989, -97.1706

Aircraft

Cessna 172F

Registration

N8649U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marietta → Roanoke

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06CA164

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's improper weather evaluation. Contributing factors were the strong tailwind and the high density altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 289-hour private pilot elected to takeoff from runway 35, a 2,450-foot long, by 55-foot wide grass airstrip that sloped downhill, with a known 15-knot tailwind. The pilot stated in the Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1) that he had previously departed from the same airport a few times during similar weather conditions. The pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 200-hours in the same make and model aircraft, indicated that he configured the airplane for takeoff with 20 degrees of flap since the runway was "a rough grass airstrip." The pilot stated that the takeoff was normal and climb performance was normal until he reached tree-top level. At that time the airspeed dropped to about 40 miles per hour and the aircraft stopped climbing. The pilot added that it became apparent to him at that time that he was not going to clear the trees and began to maneuver around the trees in an attempt to turn the airplane into the wind. The pilot further stated that "we got boxed into a corner and wound up hitting some trees on the northwest side of the field." A large tree trunk impaled the windshield and the airplane came to rest nose-down and in an inverted position. There was no post crash fire. The pilot received serious injuries and his passenger received minor injuries. Both occupants were able to egress from the single-engine airplane through the broken windscreen unassisted. The pilot reported that "he had been taught that on runways with a very steep hill [slope], the pilot should always land uphill and takeoff downhill, regardless of wind direction." Recorded weather at the nearest weather reporting station, located 15 nautical miles to the south of the accident site, were reporting wind from 160 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 22 knots, clear skies, and a temperature of 32 degrees Celsius. The Investigator-in-Charge calculated the density altitude at 2,928 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.