| Crash location | 46.606667°N, 121.666667°W |
| Nearest city | Packwood, WA
46.606501°N, 121.670644°W 0.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N4150L |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 24 Mar 2003 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 172G |
| Additional details: | None |
On March 24, 2003, at 1130 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172G, N4150L, registered to and operated by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with the terrain shortly after takeoff from the Packwood Airstrip, Packwood, Washington. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the non certificated pilot was not injured.
During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-In-Charge, the pilot reported that shortly after takeoff from runway 19, he did not feel that the aircraft was "climbing like normal" and chose to initiate an off airport precautionary landing beyond the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll in a gravel pit area, the airplane traveled through a large puddle of water. The nose landing gear sheared off and the airplane subsequently nosed over.
Damage to the aircraft included wingtip damage to both wings that extended inboard two to three feet. The top of the vertical stabilizer was bent over to the left side extending down to about three feet. The right side wing lift strut was bent and broken about mid range, and wrinkles in the skin on the bottom side of both wings near the wing roots were noted.
Witnesses in the area reported to Lewis County Sheriff's Office personnel that the engine sounded like it was "cutting out," shortly before the aircraft was observed to descend to the gravel pit.
Shortly after the accident, the pilot was sent the National Transportation Safety Board, Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report Form 6120.1/2. The pilot did not return the form nor provide requested maintenance record information, and another one was sent on May 19, 2003. To this date, the pilot has not returned the form or requested information to the NTSB.
A search of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airmen records indicated that the pilot does not hold a pilot certificate. The FAA medical records indicated that on December 29, 1987, the pilot held a third class medical certificate.
Loss of partial engine power for undetermined reasons during the initial climb after takeoff. Loose gravel/sandy was a factor during the landing roll.