Cessna 175 accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin, July 8, 2001
On July 8, 2001 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N103DL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tomahawk, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadequate preflight preparation that did not include calculating the density altitude and the pilot not maintaining clearance from the second row of trees on initial climb. Factors include those trees and the high density altitude present at the time of the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2001 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tomahawk, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N103DL · registry record · serial 55913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with trees during initial climb. The pilot and two passengers were uninjured. The pilot aborted two takeoffs. The pilot indicated, "This time I changed my route to get a longer run (3). I step taxied to the southwest corner of the lake accelerating to the east and departed to the north to maximize the length of my takeoff run. This time I lifted off cleanly with good airspeed. Initially I climbed well, but after a bit my climb rate slowed. At a point several hundred yards from shore I realized I may not clear the trees. I did not feel I had enough room to safely turn the aircraft back, so I elected to maintain my direction and increase my angle of attack little by little to try to clear the trees and keep the aircraft flying. I cleared the first row of trees, but dragged my left float through a tree top at which point the aircraft stalled falling off to the left, striking a tree with my left float. The aircraft slide down this same tree coming to rest at its base." The pilot listed no "mechanical malfunction failure" on his statement. At 2055, density altitude was 3,705 feet above mean sea level. The pilot's safety recommendation was, "Less weight, cooler outside temp, better wind." The pilot stated that he did not perform a density altitude calculation prior the the accident flight.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,126 hours in all; 296 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 970 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2000; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tomahawk WI at 8:00 pm
- Destination: Ham Lake MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from RRL, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.