Cresent Lake State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cresent Lake, Oregon 97425
Friday, September 18, 1998 10:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the unregistered homebuilt aircraft was departing in strong, gusty winds that were reported to be constantly changing direction. After lifting off about halfway down the 3,800 feet runway, the aircraft appeared to remain less than 20 feet above the ground as it continued to accelerate toward the departure end. As it neared the trees off the departure end of the runway, it appeared that the aircraft started to climb. But, its right wing clipped a tree as the pilot attempted to maneuver into an open corridor formed by a nearby railroad track. At the time of the accident, the density altitude was about 5,300 feet, and a pilot that had just departed said that the air was very bumpy just above treetop level. No evidence of anomalies or malfunction were found in the airframe or engine.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees located off the departure end of the runway. Factors include strong, variable, gusty winds, terrain-induced turbulence, a high density altitude, and trees off the departure end of the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1045
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CRESENT LAKE
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97425
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRESENT LAKE STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 5S2
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 4810
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 5300
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1270
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number OKDUU
NTSB Number SEA98LA182
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cora
Aircraft Model ALLEGRO
Aircraft Series Identifier ALLEGRO
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 1058
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLAN STAVENIK
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1625 SE CLATSOP ST
Aircraft Owner City PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97202
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 5S2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City ALVORD DESERT
Destination State OR
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 31
Runway Length 3800
Runway Width 125
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --