The pilot was taking off in a southerly direction from a narrow, tree-lined airstrip in Newburg, Oregon. During the takeoff roll, sunlight restricted his visibility.
The Alaskan Bushmaster drifted left and subsequently came into contact with numerous juvenile fir trees along the side of the runway. The contact with the trees resulted in substantial leading edge damage to both wings, and the fuselage.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll into sunlight, which restricted his visibility.
NTSB Identification: WPR15CA097
This January 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
