What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On June 8, 2001 at approximately 1758 local time, a Cessna 172, N5394H crash landed while attempting a go-around from a grass livestock pasture. The aircraft impacted a tree located in a fence row at the departure end of the pasture. The impact damaged the left leading edge of the wing. With the diminished aeronautical capacity, the aircraft began a slow descent impacting another tree. Upon exiting the last tree, the aircraft stalled, started a spin to the left and impacted the earth in a 45-degree nose down angle. The pilot in command, a student pilot, on a cross-country solo flight became disorientated and elected to terminate the flight in the pasture. Fear of fuel starvation was the primary decision factor in electing to terminate the flight. The weather at the time of the flight was VFR, haze with four miles visibility. A flight plan was not filed.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JUNE 8, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 1758 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 172, N5394H CRASH LANDED WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND FROM A GRASS LIVESTOCK PASTURE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A TREE LOCATED IN A FENCE ROW AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE PASTURE. THE IMPACT DAMAGED THE LEFT LEADING EDGE OF THE WING. WITH THE DIMINISHED AERONAUTICAL CAPACITY, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLOW DESCENT IMPACTING ANOTHER TREE. UPON EXITING THE LAST TREE, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, STARTED A SPIN TO THE LEFT AND IMPACTED THE EARTH IN A 45-DEGREE NOSE DOWN ANGLE. THE PILOT IN COMMAND, A STUDENT PILOT, ON A CROSS-COUNTRY SOLO FLIGHT BECAME DISORIENTATED AND ELECTED TO TERMINATE THE FLIGHT IN THE PASTURE. FEAR OF FUEL STARVATION WAS THE PRIMARY DECISION FACTOR IN ELECTING TO TERMINATE THE FLIGHT. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT WAS VFR, HAZE WITH FOUR MILES VISIBILITY. A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.