On June 7, 2003, a Cessna 175A (registration N6902E) was involved in an aviation accident near Ash Fork, AZ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to attain and maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush condition. Factors were the loose and uneven dirt runway surface, the known tailwind with gusts, and high density altitude. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot collided with trees during takeoff from a short, downward-sloping runway with a quartering tailwind estimated at 10 knots and a density altitude of 9,800 feet.
Accident Details
The pilot encountered trees during the initial climb after departing runway 2. The trees were located about 60 feet from the north end of the runway and stood approximately 12 feet tall. Due to the downward slope of the terrain, the treetops were level with the runway elevation. The runway was described as being in "poor condition." The pilot stated that future accidents could be prevented by not departing from short airstrips with a tailwind.
Pilot Information
The pilot, a regular user of the airstrip, was aware of a quartering tailwind he believed to be around 10 knots at the time of departure. He did not find the current weather conditions unusual. In the past, the pilot had calculated takeoff distance many times and typically required about 900 feet to rotate. He could not recall whether he performed any takeoff calculations using the weather and airplane conditions immediately prior to the accident.
Environmental Conditions
The departure was made with full fuel and with flaps retracted. The normal procedure was to depart to the north due to the downward sloping runway. The density altitude was about 9,800 feet msl. No mechanical problems with the airplane were noted prior to the accident.
Aircraft Information
No mechanical issues were reported with the airplane before the accident.