Casualties unknown

2005-08-07: Cessna 120 (N627DM) — Chiloquin, OR

Chiloquin, OR, US

On August 7, 2005, a Cessna 120 (registration N627DM) was involved in an aviation accident near Chiloquin, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and a loss of control during a pull-up maneuver. A factor contributing to the accident was the inadvertent stall/spin, which resulted in the subsequent collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

Witnesses observed an airplane depart to the south, with conflicting reports of a steep climb, bank, and nose-down descent. Postaccident examination found no anomalies.

Accident Overview

An airplane departed to the south from an unspecified location. Witnesses provided varying accounts of the flight path before the airplane impacted terrain. A postaccident examination revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.

Witness Testimony

One witness reported seeing the airplane approximately 20 feet above the ground when it pulled up steeply, banked hard to the left, and then continued to turn and went straight into the ground. Other witnesses stated that shortly after takeoff, when the airplane was about 200 to 300 feet above the ground, it nosed down and impacted terrain. The exact sequence of events remains unclear from the disparate accounts.

Aircraft Examination

A thorough examination of the airplane after the accident disclosed no anomalies with the airframe, engine, or systems that would have prevented normal flight. The lack of mechanical issues suggests that other factors may have influenced the accident, though the investigation did not specify any such factors.

Conclusion

The accident investigation documented eyewitness observations and the absence of pre-impact mechanical failures. No probable cause was determined based on the available information.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20050810X01199. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.