N8400L

On April 9, 2005, about 0930 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172I, N8400L, registered to and flown by the pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with a fence post and subsequently the terrain during landing at Flying M Airport, Yamhill, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot and his passenger were not injured. The flight originated from Salem, Oregon, about 15 minutes prior to the accident.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that he was approaching the airstrip from the east for a landing on runway 25. The pilot noted, via the wind sock, that the wind was out of the north at about 5 miles per hour, but variable. The pilot stated that he had just started the flare when the airplane "did a sharp shift to the left, just to the side of the runway." The pilot attempted to correct for the crosswind, however, the airplane continued to move further off to the south side of the runway towards a fence which was located about 25 feet away. The left horizontal stabilizer collided with a fence post about the same time the wheels touched the surface. Due to a vehicle that was on the road that runs parallel to the runway and in close proximity to the airplane, the pilot added full power in an attempt to avoid the car. The airplane traveled up an incline back to the runway surface and toward trees off the north side of the airstrip. The airplane collided with several small trees and eventually traveled into a culvert and tipped over onto its nose, coming to rest in about three feet of water.

The pilot reported no mechanical failure or malfunction with the airplane at the time of the accident.