Cessna 172M accident near Bandon, Oregon, October 28, 2003
On October 28, 2003 at about 2:50 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80628, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bandon, Oregon (Bandon State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from objects while on final approach. Dark night conditions, trees and a low glidepath were factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 28, 2003 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Bandon, Oregon · Bandon State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80628 · registry record · serial 17266677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on final approach in dark night conditions, he noted that three of the four precision approach path indicator (PAPI) light units were red with the fourth pink, fading to white, when the aircraft suddenly collided with trees about 1/2 mile from the end of the runway. The aircraft subsequently collided with the ground and came to rest inverted. The Airport/Facility Directory for the airport indicate trees as obstructions and identifies a threshold cross height requirement to clear the obstructions.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,217 hours in all; 1,111 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 4, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,209 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2003; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S05 Bandon RI at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from OTH, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N80628 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.