# Accident 20100531036759A: Cessna 172N, Sterling, MA, May 31, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 31, 2010, 15:40 local time
- Place: Sterling, MA
- Airport: Sterling
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4242° N, 71.7911° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4242&lon=-71.7911&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6371D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6371D-2013-02-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 412 total, 408 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA289) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100531036759A

## Narrative

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

05/31/10 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED STERLING AIRPORT WITH 2 PASSENGERS AT 11AM ON 5/31/2010, THEY FLEW TO PLUM ISLAND FOR LUNCH. DEPARTED PLUM ISLAND AT APPROX 1430 HRS, SHE FLEW OVER STERLING AIRPORT AT APPROX 1540 HRS AT APPROX 1500 FEET, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAW THE WIND SOCK AND CHOSE TO LAND ON RWY 34,  ON THE DOWN WIND LEG SHE NOTICED THE WIND SOCK HAD CHANGED DIRECTION AND NOW FAVORED RWY 16, SHE THEN PLANNED TO OVER FLY RUNWAY 34 AND LAND ON RWY 16. SHE STARTED HER TURN TO BASE LEG EARLY, WHILE ON THE BASE LEG SHE NOTICED THE WIND SOCK HAD TURNED AGAIN FAVORING RWY 34, SHE THEN ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RWY 34, WHEN SHE  WAS OVER THE NUMBERS SHE WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL, SHE CONTINUED WITH THE TOUCH DOWN, WHEN SHE REALIZED THE LANDING WAS NOT GOING AS PLANNED SHE APPLIED POWER TO DO A GO-AROUND, AT THIS POINT SHE WAS 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RWY, THE FRONT RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER WAS EXTREMELY SCARED AND DISTRACTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN BROUGHT THE THROTTLE TO IDLE AND TRIED TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE END OF RWY 34, DROPPED 50' AND SETTLED INTO THE TREES/BRUSH AND SWAMP. NO ONE WAS INJURED,  THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED APPROX 5 MINUTES LATER AND BROUGHT ALL THREE OCCUPANTS UP THE HILL USING ROPES AND HARNESSES.  THE FIRE DEPT DID NOT SMELL ANY FUEL AND IT WAS DETERMINED TO BE SAFE TO LEAVE THE AIRCRAFT WHERE IT WAS LOCATED. ALL 3 PEOPLE IN THE PLANE DECLINED MEDICAL ATTENTION.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE TREES ON 06/08/2010 BY ANGLIN AIRCRAFT RECOVERY SERVICES, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONSIDERED NOT FINANCIALLY REPAIRABLE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRPORT ON A FLATBED TRUCK BY ANGLIN AIR TO THEIR BASE OF OPERATIONS IN DELEWARE.

## 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 ERA10CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA289), May 31, 2010: Cessna 172N (N6371D), Sterling, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to not continue with the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to the passenger’s panicked condition.

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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