Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

August 7, 2005 · Cessna 120 · N627DM

Chiloquin, OR

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 7, 2005
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Chiloquin, OR
Aircraft
Cessna 120
Tail Number
N627DM
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA05LA165

Witnesses observed the airplane departing to the south. One witness reported seeing the airplane about 20 feet above the ground when it pulled up steeply, banked hard to the left, and then continued to turn and went straight into the ground. Other witnesses said that just after the airplane took off and was approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground, it nosed down and impacted terrain. A postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the airplane which would have precluded normal operations.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed and a loss of control during a pull-up maneuver. A factor contributing to the accident was the inadvertent stall/spin, which resulted in the subsequent collision with terrain.

Full Narrative

On August 6, 2005, approximately 1705, Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 120 single-engine airplane, N627DM, was destroyed after impacting terrain following a loss of control during takeoff-initial climb at the Chiloquin State Airport, Chiloquin, Oregon. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual. The certificated private pilot, the sole occupant of the airplane, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and its destination was not determined. A local law enforcement agency supplied the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) with a written report, which stated that witnesses observed the airplane departing to the south. One witness reported seeing the airplane about 20 feet above the ground when it pulled up steeply, banked hard to the left, and then continued to turn and went straight into the ground. Other witnesses said that just after the airplane took off and was approximately 200 to 300 feet above the ground, it nosed down and impacted terrain. There was no post-crash fire. The Continental C-85-12-F, 85 horsepower engine, powered the single-engine two-place airplane. Airplane logbooks were not recovered for examination. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. According to the information provided on his most recent airman's medical application, the pilot's total flight time was approximately 810 hours. The pilot held a third class medical certificate, dated March 1, 2005. The pilot's logbook was not located during the investigation. At 1653, the weather reporting facility at the Klamath Falls Airport, Klamath Falls, Oregon, located 30 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, reported wind 280 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 4,000 feet, temperature 32 degrees C, dew point 8 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.05 inches of Mercury. The airplane wreckage was located approximately 2,250 feet from the center of Runway 17/35, and about 500 feet southwest of the departure end of Runway 17, at 42 degrees 34.432 minutes north latitude and 121 degrees 52.856 minutes west longitude. The aircraft came to rest in an upright position in an open field of knee-high sagebrush oriented on a westerly heading. The engine was observed pushed rearward into the firewall, with the cabin/cockpit area destroyed. Both wing's leading edges were crushed aft and wrinkled on both the top and bottom surfaces, with both wingtips bent and mangled. The aft fuselage and empennage were not damaged. The aircraft was removed to a secured storage facility in Redmond, Oregon, for further examination by the NTSB. On August 9, 2005, an autopsy was performed on the pilot at the facilities of the Oregon State Police Morgue, Oregon State Police Headquarters, Central Point, Oregon. The autopsy attributed the cause of death to multiple blunt injuries. Toxicological testing was performed by the Federal Aviation Administration's Civil Aeromedical Institute of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for all tests. On October 20, 2005, under the supervision of the IIC, an examination of the airframe and engine was performed by representatives from Cessna Aircraft Company and Teledyne Continental Motors. The examination revealed no anomalies which would have prevented normal operations. The airplane wreckage was released to the owner's representative on October 20, 2005.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:05 PDT
Nearest AirportChiloquin State Airport (0nm)
Runway17
Runway Length3735 ft
Runway Width60 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 120
Tail NumberN627DM
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · C-85-12-F · Reciprocating · 85
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 43 · Third Class · Fatal

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind280° @ 9 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point46
Altimeter30.04 inHg
Observation Time23:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data