Cessna 172 accident near Carey, Idaho, May 30, 2002
On May 30, 2002 at about 11:58 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N7225A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carey, Idaho (Carey airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2002 · about 11:58 pm local time
- Place
- Carey, Idaho · Carey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7225A · registry record · serial 29325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that shortly after takeoff the airplane experienced a loss of lift "...and started to decelerate." The pilot enriched the mixture and lowered the nose, however, the airplane continued to descend and subsequently collided with trees and terrain approximately 1,000 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. A witness to the accident reported that he heard the accident airplane taking off from the Carey Airport. He reported that shortly thereafter, he heard what sounded like "...a tree shredding machine and looked out the window and saw the aircraft falling vertically and hitting the ground..." The Airport field elevation is 4,783 feet MSL. The winds at the time of the accident were from 250 degrees at 10-15 knots. The reported temperature was approximately 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot and three passengers combined weight was approximately 690 pounds, and the airplane contained approximately 156 pounds of fuel. Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure.
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: 309 hours in all; 279 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U65 Carey ID at 10:58 pm
- Destination: U65 Carey ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,650 ft by 170 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KSUN, 118 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.