20041029028239A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Olympia, WA · October 29, 2004

Date: October 29, 2004 · 23:55 local
Place: Olympia, WA
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N53161
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05FA013
Reported as: Cessna 172P
Reported engine: Lycoming O320D2J
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N53161Registration cancelled May 12, 2005 · Cessna 172PS/N 17274694 · Built 1981 Airframe modelCessna 172P 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) On October 29, 2004, about 2355 PST, N53161, a Cessna 172P aircraft, collided with mountainous terrain about six miles west of the Olympia, WA airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the private pilot was fatally injured. The weather at Olympia airport was reporting visual meteorological conditions and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed paine field in everett, WA. Heading for troutdale, OR. The pilot was using flight following and reported to air traffic control that she was in weather. Radar contact was lost over mountainous terrain about 2353. The crash site investigation and the follow-up engine teardown inspection revealed no mechanical irregularities. A post crash fire destroyed the cockpit area.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON OCTOBER 29, 2004, ABOUT 2355 PST, N53161, A CESSNA 172P AIRCRAFT, COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT SIX MILES WEST OF THE OLYMPIA, WA AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE WEATHER AT OLYMPIA AIRPORT WAS REPORTING VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PAINE FIELD IN EVERETT, WA. HEADING FOR TROUTDALE, OR. THE PILOT WAS USING FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND REPORTED TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT SHE WAS IN WEATHER. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 2353. THE CRASH SITE INVESTIGATION AND THE FOLLOW-UP ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE COCKPIT AREA.

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 SEA05FA013Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportOlympia, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering in known adverse weather conditions. Clouds, rain, high wind, dark night, trees, mountainous terrain and the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision were factors.Oct 30, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N53161 · 1

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

Accident 19940429015759ATouch And Go Landing · Portland, ORFlared high floated. Dropped to runway. Bounced and porpoised. Taxied off runway when bouncing stopped.Apr 29, 1994 · Substantial damage