Roseburg, OR, USA
N102ZT
PITTS S2C
The commercial pilot was conducting a local personal flight. The pilot reported that he entered the traffic pattern behind a much slower airplane and observed a second (high-wing) airplane on an apparent base leg about 1 mile south of the airport. The pilot made a right 360-degree turn while on the downwind leg for spacing. After reestablishing his position on the downwind leg, he requested position reports from local area traffic. The pilot in the first airplane in the traffic pattern reported clear of the runway; the accident pilot heard no other position reports and subsequently began a normal approach to the runway. Immediately before turning to final, the pilot from an unknown airplane transmitted that his airplane was on final for the same runway. The accident pilot then rolled the airplane wings level and checked the final approach path for traffic. He observed no traffic and subsequently rolled the airplane back into a left turn to final with a shallow left forward slip. As the airplane rolled onto short final, it collided with the upper portion of a tall tree. The pilot then landed the airplane successfully. The Federal Aviation Administration Digital Airport/Facility Directory noted that the runway had a displaced threshold of 371 ft due to a tree, which was also depicted on the airport diagram. It is likely that the pilot lost his orientation with respect to the tree when he diverted his scan to look for another airplane in the traffic pattern.
On January 26, 2014, about 1530 Pacific standard time, a Pitts S2C, N102ZT, collided with trees during the turn to final approach to runway 34 at Roseburg, Oregon. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper and lower wings. The local personal flight departed Roseburg about 1500. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.The pilot reported that he returned from a local flight, and entered the traffic pattern behind a much slower airplane. He observed a second (high-wing) airplane crossing from west to east on an apparent base about 1 mile south of the airport. The pilot made a right 360-degree turn on downwind for spacing. He noted that hilly terrain surrounded the airport. After reestablishing his position on downwind, he requested position reports from Roseburg area traffic. The first airplane reported clear of the runway; he heard no other position reports. The pilot stated that he made a normal approach to the runway. Immediately prior to the turn to final, an unknown airplane transmitted that they were on final for runway 34. The pilot rolled wings level, and checked the final approach path for traffic. He observed none, and rolled back into a left turn to final with a shallow left forward slip. As the airplane rolled onto short final, it collided with the upper portion of a tall tree. The pilot landed the airplane successfully, and egressed from the airplane with no difficulties. The pilot reported that the tree was about 60 feet higher than a utility pole near it, and encroached into the approach flight path for landing. He also reported that the tree was not lighted. The FAA Digital Airport/Facility Directory indicated that runway 34 was 4,602 feet long and 100 feet wide. The runway surface was asphalt, and noted a displaced threshold of 371 feet for a tree, which was also depicted on the airport diagram.
The pilot’s loss of orientation while scanning for airport traffic during the turn from the base to final legs of the traffic pattern, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance from a tree.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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