- Date
- May 14, 2018, 15:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Nooksack, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4144LCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Landing area overshoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180514014999A
- Case key
- 97255
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 improper approach in tailwind conditions, which resulted in long landing and subsequent runway overrun.
Findings · 4
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, after three attempts to land the airplane at the one-way, private grass airstrip, the wind had become a tailwind. During the fourth approach, the wind was "apparently stabilized," but once he committed to land, the wind increased and became a hazard. He added that the airplane was then "too low to abort," and the airplane landed long. Subsequently, the airplane was unable to stop, overran the runway, and impacted a power pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 9 nautical miles away from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane to the east.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, after three attempts to land the airplane at the one-way, private grass airstrip, the wind had become a tailwind. During the fourth approach, the wind was "apparently stabilized", but once he committed to land the wind increased and became a hazard. He added that the airplane was then "too low to abort" and the airplane landed long. Subsequently, the airplane was unable to stop, overran the runway, and impacted a power pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system about 9 nautical miles away from the accident site reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 220° at 5 knots. The pilot landed to the east.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4144L
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17254213
- Built
- 1966
- Airframe hours
- 6,343.75
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-300A, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 7, 2018
- Departed
- BVS · Burlington/Mount Vernon, WA
- Destination
- Nooksack, WA
- Equipment
- 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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 11, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 331.2 total · 78.6 in this make and model · 245.3 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- CYXX, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 2, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB 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.