Cessna 172S accident near Medford, Oregon, September 30, 2002
On September 30, 2002 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N514SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Terrain clearance was not maintained during cruise flight. Dark night and mountainous terrain were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 30, 2002 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N514SP · no longer on the register · serial 172S8871
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Radar identified the aircraft departing from an airport in Idaho with a destination to an airport in Oregon. The flight tracking continued in a southwesterly direction toward the destination airport. Two in-flight weather briefings were recorded with advisories given to the pilot for mountain obscuration and turbulence along the route of flight. The last briefing was about 10 minutes prior to the accident. Radar flight tracking identified the aircraft at about 8,800 feet and traveling toward and colliding with a 9,495 foot mountain. Dark night conditions existed at the time for the VFR flight. The wreckage was located at about the 8,700 foot level on steep mountainous terrain. On sight documentation indicated that the point of impact was on a rock face about 100 feet above the wreckage. The propeller assembly was found between the rock face and the main wreckage that had slid down to its final resting point. Documentation of the aircraft revealed severe aft compression crushing to the entire length of leading edge of both wings. The nose and cockpit were severely compromised. The propeller displayed severe leading edge gouges and chordwise scratching.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 962 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 652 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Other crew
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2002; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID
- Destination: MFR Medford OR
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 am from MFR, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.