On November 25, 1986, a Cessna 177RG (registration N52069) was involved in an aviation accident near Republic, WA. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An aircraft departed a runway during heavy snow showers and strong north winds, crashing approximately a quarter mile west of the runway shortly after liftoff.
What happened
A witness observed the aircraft taxiing out onto the runway while light snow showers were occurring. The aircraft proceeded to the north end of the runway in preparation for departure. As the takeoff roll commenced, weather conditions deteriorated significantly, with heavy snow showers covering the area. Winds were blowing from the north, gusting between 20 and 25 mph.
The aircraft was observed departing toward the south with its navigation lights illuminated, struggling against the poor visibility and wind conditions. Shortly after leaving the ground, the aircraft crashed approximately 0.25 mile west of the runway end.