Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cohasset, Minnesota 55721
Monday, September 5, 1988 9:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON FINAL APCH TO LAND AT A PVT AIRSTRIP. THE PLT STATED THAT ON EARLIER ATTEMPTS TO LAND HE WAS HIGH AND FAST. HE STATED HE INTENTIONALLY SLOWED THE ACFT AND USED LESS ALT IN ORDER TO NOT LAND TOO LONG ON THE AIRSTRIP. HE STATED THAT ON SHORT FINAL, THE ACFT DESCENDED BELOW THE TREE LINE BECAUSE OF A DOWNDRAFT. HE STATED HE ADDED POWER BUT WAS AFRAID THAT IF HE RAISED THE NOSE, THE ACFT WOULD STALL. THEREFORE, HE KEPT THE NOSE LEVEL AND FLEW THROUGH THE TREE TOPS. THE ACFT CONTACTED ONE LARGE TREE AND DESCENDED TO THE AIRSTRIP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PIC TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH IN ORDER TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS ALONG THE FLIGHT PATH OF HIS FINAL APPROACH.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City COHASSET
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55721
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 1400
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID CPZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1355
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2505
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39788
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7222D
NTSB Number CHI88DER13
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-22-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-22-150
Aircraft Serial Number 22-5047
Certified Max Gross Weight 2000
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 6 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CUTSFORTH, DAVID L.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1005 HORSESHOE LAKE RD
Aircraft Owner City GRAND RAPIDS
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55744
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 COHASSET
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City COHASSET
Destination State MN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --