# Accident 20090628012579A: Cessna 172M, Rimrock, WA, June 28, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 28, 2009, 15:00 local time
- Place: Rimrock, WA
- Airport: Tieton State
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.6433° N, 121.1122° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6433&lon=-121.1122&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4396R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4396R-2010-11-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 79 total, 75 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09FA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA316) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090628012579A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AIRMAN ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT AN UNIMPROVED LANDING STRIP, THAT IS CONSIDERED A ONE WAY RUNWAY.  WHILE ACCOUNTS VARY AS TO HOW CLOSE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO THE RUNWAY, IT IS NONETHELESS CLEAR THAT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT ACTUALLY LAND, BUT INSTEAD ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, ULTIMATELY STRIKING TREES IN RISING TERRAIN.  IT WOULD NOT BE A NORMAL EXPECTATION TO CONDUCT A GO-AROUND IN THIS DIRECTION AT THIS AIRSTRIP.  COLLISION WITH TREES LIKELY DUE TO DIMMINISHED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DUE TO DENSITY ALTITUDE (ESTIMATED AT APPROXIMATELY 4,700'), COUPLED WITH RISING TERRAIN AND REDUCED CLIMB ANGLE OVER THE GROUND, ASSOCIATED WITH THE TAILWIND.  SEVERAL WITNESS ACCOUNTS SPEAK TO SIGNIFICANT WIND ON THE WATER OVER WHICH THE FINAL APPROACH WAS FLOWN.  PER AT LEAST ONE STATEMENT, THE WIND WAS QUITE GUSTY, AND FROM A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE A SIGNIFICANT TAILWIND TO AND OTHERWISE CHALLENGING APPROACH.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09FA316](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA316), Jun 28, 2009: Cessna 172M (N4396R), Rimrock, WA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of flight experience, and his delayed initiation of a go-around.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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