No fatalities

20 May 2017: CESSNA 175 — Prospect, OR

Prospect, OR, United States

On 20 May 2017, a CESSNA 175 UNDESIGNAT was involved in an aviation accident near Prospect, OR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flight instructor’s failure to attain an adequate climb rate during takeoff, which resulted in impact with trees. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

During a soft field takeoff demonstration, the right lift strut struck three treetops. The flight instructor continued to the destination. Substantial damage was found to the elevator.

Incident Overview

A flight instructor was conducting a demonstration of a soft field takeoff procedure. During the maneuver, the right lift strut of the aircraft made contact with the tops of three trees. Despite the impact, the instructor continued the flight to the intended destination without reporting any further anomalies.

Aircraft Damage

After landing, a post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the elevator. The extent of the damage necessitated repair before the aircraft could be returned to service.

Mechanical Condition

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The aircraft was otherwise functioning as expected prior to the tree strike.

Investigation Notes

The accident investigation focused on the circumstances of the soft field takeoff demonstration. No additional factors or contributing elements were identified beyond the physical contact with the trees.

Contributing factors

Climb rate — Not attained/maintainedPilotEffect on operation