On August 13, 2005, a Cessna 177RG (registration N2082Q) was involved in an aviation accident near Cascade, ID. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain under gusty wind conditions at a high density altitude. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot flying through mountainous terrain struck trees and crashed during low-altitude maneuvering, resulting in an aircraft fire.
What happened
While en route to an airport for a family gathering, the pilot was maneuvering a Cessna (type not specified) at a low altitude within mountainous terrain approximately four miles from the destination. As the aircraft was flying up a slope toward a saddle in a ridge, it failed to maintain clearance from the forest below. The aircraft struck a sixty-foot tall conifer tree approximately four feet from its top.
Following the initial contact with the tree, the aircraft impacted several other trees and descended into the ground. The resulting impact caused the aircraft to be almost totally consumed by fire. The saddle in the ridge where the pilot was heading was located approximately 300 feet higher than the accident site and about one-third mile further along the flight track.
The investigation
The investigation determined that the pilot was maneuvering in an area characterized by gusty winds. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was operating at a density altitude of over 10,000 feet.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to maintain adequate clearance from trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain under gusty wind conditions at a high density altitude.