Cessna 172N N737CM

Summary

On 9 August 2000 at about 21:45 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N737CM, operated by Peters, Mark E., was involved in an accident near Gleneden Beach, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 August 2000 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Gleneden Beach, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Siletzbay State Airport (S45)

Coordinates

44.8803, -124.0301

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N737CM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Peters, Mark E.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA00LA155

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to remove the control lock during his preflight inspection. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to follow the BEFORE TAKEOFF checklist, trees beyond the upwind end of the runway, and the pilot's self-induced pressure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Following the arrival at the Siletz Bay State airport, the pilot secured the Cessna 172N controls with the aircraft gust lock. The following day he and his family returned to the airport to depart. Marginal VFR conditions existed and the pilot waited two hours during which conditions improved only slightly. The pilot stated, '...by now we are tired of waiting and want to go home...' and he decided to make a brief flight to evaluate the weather conditions. He continued, stating '...With my mind focusing on weather conditions I depart[ed] without doing a complete preflight. The gust lock remain[ed] in....' During the takeoff roll he was unable to rotate the aircraft's nose. Realizing the aircraft would not be able to clear obstacles in its climb path, he aborted the takeoff and rolled beyond the downsloping upwind end of the runway impacting trees and brush. The third item in the 'BEFORE TAKEOFF' checklist for the Cessna 172N states: 'Flight Controls - FREE and CORRECT.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.