Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Otis, Oregon 97368
Saturday, July 6, 2002 9:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot of the Cessna 172N departed Salem, Oregon, on a personal flight with one passenger. The aircraft was observed flying low in a westerly direction shortly after 9 am over the Salmon River estuary in VFR conditions when it pulled up into a climbing left turn and then descended to the ground impacting in an inverted, nose low attitude. Post-crash examination revealed that the aircraft impacted power lines with its left wingtip. The set of 3 horizontally oriented power lines crossed the estuary approximately 60 feet above ground near the point of aircraft contact and on a 033/213 magnetic bearing line.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance with power lines while conducting low altitude flight resulting in a loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's low altitude flight and the power lines.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Otis
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97368
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 450232N
Event Location Longitude 1235958W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 930 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 166
Weather Observation Facility ID ONP
Elevation of weather observation facility 160
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 28
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13426
NTSB Notification Source FAA SEA ROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 6 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1006
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA HILLSBORO FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N738QT
NTSB Number SEA02FA125
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17270161
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 5 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13.26
Airframe Hours 2092.66
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Guysin Jr., Leo J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Salem
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97306
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code SLE
Departure City Salem
Departure State OR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 907
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2003 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --