Cessna 177 accident near Pinecliff, Washington, May 22, 2007
On May 22, 2007 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N5180J, was destroyed in an accident near Pinecliff, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain. Factors include the mountainous terrain, low ceilings, and trees in the area where the pilot was maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2007 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pinecliff, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N5180J · no longer on the register · serial 17701382
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was on a VFR flight plan, was flying a nearly direct route from his point of departure to his planned destination. Near the end of his planned flight, he approached a mountain range that stood between him and his destination. Just before reaching the mountainous terrain, the pilot cancelled his VFR flight following, and began to descend. Once he entered the mountains, he encountered the forecasted clouds and low ceilings that kept him from continuing on his planned direct course. He continued to descend, and began maneuvering through the mountainous terrain in the general direction of his destination. After making three major course reversals, the pilot began following a road that would have taken him back to the last major town he had past while flying the direct part of his course. While following that road, he made another apparent course alteration, which placed the aircraft in a narrow valley with up-slopping terrain. As he continued up that valley, he reached a forested ridge that he did not clear, resulting in the aircraft colliding with a number of trees.
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: 60 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KTWF Twin Falls ID at 3:52 pm
- Destination: KRNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 7:19 pm from KSMP, 25 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.
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.