Cessna 172N accident near Otis, Oregon, July 6, 2002
On July 6, 2002 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738QT, was destroyed in an accident near Otis, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance with power lines while conducting low altitude flight resulting in a loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's low altitude flight and the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 6, 2002 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Otis, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738QT · no longer on the register · serial 17270161
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Cessna 172N departed Salem, Oregon, on a personal flight with one passenger. The aircraft was observed flying low in a westerly direction shortly after 9 am over the Salmon River estuary in VFR conditions when it pulled up into a climbing left turn and then descended to the ground impacting in an inverted, nose low attitude. Post-crash examination revealed that the aircraft impacted power lines with its left wingtip. The set of 3 horizontally oriented power lines crossed the estuary approximately 60 feet above ground near the point of aircraft contact and on a 033/213 magnetic bearing line.
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: 900 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,092.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2002; 13.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLE Salem OR at 4:07 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:30 pm from ONP, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.