20040302005449A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Tacoma, WA · March 2, 2004

Date: March 2, 2004 · 21:14 local
Place: Tacoma, WA
Airport: Tacoma Naarrows Airport
Phase of flight: Initial Approach-IFR
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N75844
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA04LA048
Reported as: Cessna 172N
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 500 total250 in this make and model

N75844Registered now · Cessna 172NS/N 17267998 · Built 1976 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Pilot was practicing ILS approaches at the Tacoma narrows airport (tiw). On the third ILS the left wing struck a tree. After hearing a "thump" sound the pilot executed a go around and noting no abnormal flight characteristics, elected to fly the aircraft back to his home base airport, bremerton, WA (pwt). Pilot was flying under the hood and had a safety pilot in the right seat. Inspection of aircraft by a FAA maintenance inspector revealed substantial damage to the left hand wing leading edge and main spar outboard of wing strut attach point. Main spar appears to be bent. Testing of the glideslope installed in the aircraft revealed the equipment to have a very low sensitivity rendering it very inaccurate.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT WAS PRACTICING ILS APPROACHES AT THE TACOMA NARROWS AIRPORT (TIW). ON THE THIRD ILS THE LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE. AFTER HEARING A "THUMP" SOUND THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO AROUND AND NOTING NO ABNORMAL FLIGHT CHARACTERISTICS, ELECTED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO HIS HOME BASE AIRPORT, BREMERTON, WA (PWT). PILOT WAS FLYING UNDER THE HOOD AND HAD A SAFETY PILOT IN THE RIGHT SEAT. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT BY A FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTOR REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT HAND WING LEADING EDGE AND MAIN SPAR OUTBOARD OF WING STRUT ATTACH POINT. MAIN SPAR APPEARS TO BE BENT. TESTING OF THE GLIDESLOPE INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE EQUIPMENT TO HAVE A VERY LOW SENSITIVITY RENDERING IT VERY INACCURATE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA04LA048Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGig Harbor, WAThe pilot's failure to follow the published IFR procedure resulting in failure to maintain clearance from objects during an instrument approach. Trees and an inoperative glide slope receiver were factors.Mar 3, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N75844 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19970327011469IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Medford, ORNarrative: pilot departed eugene, OR to redding, CA. While over Medford, OR the engine ran excessively rough. Pilot declared emergency and ground rescue standing by. Aircraft landed without incident. Further investigation revealed that this 0-320-H2AD engine…Mar 27, 1997 · Minor damage Accident 19791031043089AFinal Approach · Truckee, NVAirplane stalled above runway on high level-off. Aircraft dropped to runway. Flipped over.Oct 31, 1979 · Substantial damage