On February 15, 1984, a Cessna 177RG (registration N52697) operated by Harold W. Wurster was involved in an aviation accident near Salem, OH. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During takeoff to the west, a pilot encountered fog after being advised of areas of fog. The aircraft entered a right turn and crashed about 1 mile northwest of the airport, initially striking tree tops at 80 ft AGL.
Accident Overview
The pilot received a weather briefing and was advised of areas of fog. While taking off toward the west, he encountered fog. The aircraft entered a right turn about 1000 feet from the end of the runway and subsequently crashed about 1 mile northwest of the airport. The initial impact was with the tops of trees at approximately 80 feet above ground level.
Weather Conditions
Weather at a reporting station about 24 miles away was, in part: sky obscured, visibility 1/8 mile with fog. According to police, the weather at the departure airport was about the same. The weather at the airport was checked the next morning at the same time of day, and it was noted that the fog was heaviest at the departure end of the takeoff runway.
Accident Sequence
No further details about the sequence of events were provided in the official source.