- Date
- May 31, 2010, 15:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sterling, MA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N6371DCessna 172N
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR go-around: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100531036759A
- Case key
- 76150
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 34 based on the prevailing wind. She observed the wind sock change to favor runway 16 and in response she maneuvered the airplane for a runway 16 landing. The wind changed direction again to favor runway 34 and she maneuvered the airplane to that runway. She thought the airplane was too high over the touchdown zone and elected to perform a go-around. The passenger in the right seat panicked and started screaming, so the pilot discontinued the go-around, closed the throttle, and the airplane settled into the trees past the runway’s end. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Factual narrative
The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 34 based on prevailing winds. She observed the wind sock change to favor runway 16, so she began to maneuver the airplane for a runway 16 landing. The winds again changed direction to favor runway 34. While on final approach for runway 34, she found herself too high over the touchdown zone, so she executed a go-around. A passenger in the right seat panicked and started screaming, so the pilot discontinued the go-around, closed the throttle, and the airplane settled into the trees past the runway end. Structural damage to the wings and fuselage resulted. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6371D
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17272757
- Airframe hours
- 7,086
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H20D, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Savard Paula K
- Registered owner
- Savard Paula K
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 2010
- Departed
- 2B2 · Newbury Port, MA
- Destination
- 3B3 · Sterling, MA
- Flight plan
- VFR/IFR
- Airport
- 3B3 · Sterling Airport, runway 34, 3,086 × 40 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 8, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 412 total · 408 in this make and model · 412 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.92 inHg
- Observed at
- FIT, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 23, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 734 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.