Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lapwai, Idaho 83540
Sunday, July 12, 1998 19:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported to a local law enforcement official that he was initiating a southbound takeoff with 20 degrees flaps from a field of 15 inch high grass near his mother's residence. He reported that immediately after lifting off, a wheel struck something, and immediately thereafter the aircraft impacted a fence post and then terrain before coming to a stop. In a written statement, the pilot noted that the airplane struck the top of a railroad tie in the grass.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning or preparation from unsuitable terrain. Factors include an embedded railroad tie in the takeoff path, and high vegetation..

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1950
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LAPWAI
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83540
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 825
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID LWS
Elevation of weather observation facility 1438
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1246
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2885Q
NTSB Number SEA98LA121
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 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier 172L
Aircraft Serial Number 17259885
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 28 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 105
Airframe Hours 3318
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HEDRICK, MILES, AND HUDDLESTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 615 RIVERVIEW BLVD
Aircraft Owner City CLARKSTON
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99403
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HUDDLESTON, MARVIN, A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1597 CHESTNUT STREET
Operator City CLARKSTON
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99403
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 1950
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City KAMIAH
Destination State ID
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 18
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width 200
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --