# Accident 20231216018069A: Cessna 172G, Independence, OR, December 16, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 16, 2023, 16:45 local time
- Place: Independence, OR
- Airport: Independence State Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.8642° N, 123.2009° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.8642&lon=-123.2009&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3992L, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3992L) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172G (registry code 2072420, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental 0-300 series (registry code 17022, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-300-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR 0-300 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR24FA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA057) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231216018069A

## Narrative

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

FOLLOWING DEPARTURE FROM MMV, THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN TO INDEPENDENCE STATE AIRPORT (7S5), APPROXIMATELY 23 MILES SOUTH.  THE AIRPLANE ENTERED 7S5 PATTERN ON THE DOWNWIND AT 1125’, 95 KNOTS.  LOCAL PILOTS LISTENING ON THE CTAF/UNICOM 122.975 HEARD UNICOM TRANSMISSIONS AND CLICKS IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO TURN ON THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT RWY LIGHTS.  THE APPROACH WAS UNSTABILIZED DUE TO OVERSHOOTING THE RWY CENTERLINE AND AN IRREGULAR TRAFFIC PATTERN.  THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND IN A LEFT-HAND DOG LEG TURN BEFORE RETURNING TO A NORTHLY HEADING, PARALLEL TO RWY 34.  THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A WOODEN POWER POLE AT ABOUT 66’ ALTITUDE WITH RED OBSTRUCTION LIGHTING DIRECTLY ON THE PROPELLER NOSE CONE APPROXIMATELY 3’ FROM THE TOP OF THE POLE.  THE LAST REPORTED ALTITUDE WAS 475’ AT 62 KTS WITH A RADAR TRACK DIRECTLY LINED UP WITH THE POWER POLE.  THE POWER POLE WAS ABOUT 187 YARDS WEST OF THE RWY.  THE IMPACT RESULTED IN THE ENGINE DEPARTING THE AIRFRAME AND CONTINUING FORWARD WITH A 3’ SECTION OF THE POWER POLE FOR APPROXIMATELY 50 YARDS INTO AN OPEN FIELD.  THE AIRFRAME THEN STRUCK THE POWER POLE CAUSING AN APPROXIMATELY 10’ SECTION TO BREAK OFF.  THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED APPROXIMATELY 20 YARDS FROM THE POWER POLE BASE WITH THE BROKEN POLE SECTION COMING TO REST ADJACENT TO THE FUSELAGE.  A 1’’ POWER LINE WITH ITS ASSOCIATED INSULATOR WAS EMBEDDED INTO THE COCKPIT ACROSS THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AREA.  UPON IMPACT THE AIRPLANE CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS BEFORE POWER COULD BE SHUT OFF TO THE REMAINING WIRES AND ACCESS ALLOWED FOR FIRST RESPONDERS.  THE FUSELAGE AFT OF THE FIREWALL, INBOARD OF THE WINGS AND FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE BURNED TO ASH BEFORE THE FIRE COULD BE EXTINGUISHED.  THREE DECEASED OCCUPANTS WERE RECOVERED BUT IDENTIFICATION WAS NOT POSSIBLE.

## 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 WPR24FA057](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA057), Dec 17, 2023: Cessna 172G (N3992L), Independence, OR, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in collision with an obstacle while landing.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.