Cessna 172H accident near Waldport, Oregon, March 6, 2005
On March 6, 2005 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N8100L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waldport, Oregon (Wakonda Beach State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude/clearance during the takeoff initial climb, which resulted in an inflight collision with trees. A factor was the tall grass on the turf runway, which slowed the airplane's acceleration during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2005 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Waldport, Oregon · Wakonda Beach State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8100L · registry record · serial 17256300
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the 2,000-foot-long turf runway was covered with "heavy grass and moss." The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, the airplane "encountered considerable drag from the turf and moss on the runway." After takeoff, "there was not enough speed or distance to climb over the trees at the end of the runway and the airplane clipped the tops of the trees." The airplane came to rest nose down in the trees. The right wing was folded back against the fuselage, and the left wing had a large dent in the leading edge.
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: 194 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: December 30, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: R33 Waldport OR at 1:15 am
- Destination: S12 Albany OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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 N8100L 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.