- Date
- May 2, 2018, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port Angeles, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N734QQCessna 172
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 97164
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 exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn away from terrain, which resulted in an accelerated stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to delay the turn to avoid terrain.
Findings · 6
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 reported that, during a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain, he had a tailwind and allowed the airplane to get too close to terrain. He initiated a right turn to avoid rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased the bank angle, and the nose dropped. The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied. The airplane stalled and then impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. In the recommendation section of the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main reason for this accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain, he had a tailwind and allowed the airplane to get too close to the terrain. He initiated a right turn to avoid the rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased bank angle and the nose dropped. The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied. The airplane descended and impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported in the Recommendation section that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main culprit for this accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N734QQ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269034
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 22,574
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 24, 2018
- Departed
- CLM · Port Angeles, WA
- Destination
- SHN · Shelton, WA
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system
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
- 23
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,390 total · 1,280 as pilot in command · 235 in the last 90 days · 87 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KPWT, 22 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 MB in all.