Portland Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Tennessee 37148
Tuesady, July 22, 1997 17:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses stated that the pilot had landed in a wheat/bean field adjacent to his place of employment to visit his co-workers. After about a one-hour visit, the pilot started the aircraft and taxied to the end of the bean field for takeoff, with several of his co-workers watching. According to his co-workers, during the takeoff roll, the airplane became airborne and then touched down again. A few seconds later a witness saw the pilot pull back on the yoke and as the airplane climbed the right wing clipped a tree causing the aircraft to spin wing over wing until it disappeared into the trees.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's attempt to perform a short field takeoff in unsuitable terrain. A related factor was the pilot's desire to impress his co-workers.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/1997
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PORTLAND
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37148
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTLAND MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 1M5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 360
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KBW
Elevation of weather observation facility 818
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 470
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N10744
NTSB Number ATL97LA110
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15075001
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STEVE WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 385 AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RUSSELLVILLE
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42276
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 4M7
Destination City RUSSELLVILLE
Destination State KY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --