Cessna 172N accident near Gleneden Beach, Oregon, August 9, 2000
On August 9, 2000 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gleneden Beach, Oregon (Siletzbay State Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to remove the control lock during his preflight inspection. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to follow the BEFORE TAKEOFF checklist, trees beyond the upwind end of the runway, and the pilot's self-induced pressure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2000 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gleneden Beach, Oregon · Siletzbay State Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737CM · registry record · serial 17269314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following the arrival at the Siletz Bay State airport, the pilot secured the Cessna 172N controls with the aircraft gust lock. The following day he and his family returned to the airport to depart. Marginal VFR conditions existed and the pilot waited two hours during which conditions improved only slightly. The pilot stated, '...by now we are tired of waiting and want to go home...' and he decided to make a brief flight to evaluate the weather conditions. He continued, stating '...With my mind focusing on weather conditions I depart[ed] without doing a complete preflight. The gust lock remain[ed] in....' During the takeoff roll he was unable to rotate the aircraft's nose. Realizing the aircraft would not be able to clear obstacles in its climb path, he aborted the takeoff and rolled beyond the downsloping upwind end of the runway impacting trees and brush. The third item in the 'BEFORE TAKEOFF' checklist for the Cessna 172N states: 'Flight Controls - FREE and CORRECT.'
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 360 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S45 at 9:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:49 pm from ONP, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.