Cessna 172B accident near Sunriver, Oregon, August 20, 2000
On August 20, 2000 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N8178X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sunriver, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to continue the takeoff after the aircraft failed to climb or accelerate immediately after the initial liftoff. Factors were inadequate preflight planning, to include the pilot's failure to calculate takeoff performance data, trees off the departure end of the runway, a high density altitude environment, and wet, swampy/marshy terrain in the area where the pilot found it necessary to execute a precautionary/emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2000 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Sunriver, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8178X · registry record · serial 17248678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who had not completed takeoff performance calculations for the high density altitude environment, elected to continue his takeoff after the aircraft failed to climb or accelerate following the initial liftoff. He therefore lowered the nose, allowed the aircraft to settle back on the runway, and rotated a second time at a higher indicated airspeed. While attempting to climb out soon after the second liftoff, the aircraft encountered an area of downdrafts, and the pilot became convinced that he might not clear some tall trees along his takeoff path. He therefore elected to make a precautionary landing straight ahead. Although he made a successful touchdown, he had landed in a wet, marshy/swampy area, and when the nose wheel touched the soft terrain, it sank in and the aircraft nosed over.
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: 285 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 285 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S21 Sunriver OR at 10:38 pm
- Destination: 59S Vancouver WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.