- Date
- June 26, 2008, 18:00 local (Jun 27, 2008, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Skykomish, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N94HJCessna 172M
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Landing area undershoot
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080626857549A
- Case key
- 68383
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 inadequate in-flight planning/decision and failure to execute a go-around when the airplane floated during the flare. Contributing to the accident was the short and wet turf runway surface, which reduced braking action.
Findings · 5
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 he made his final approach to the 2,050-foot-long turf runway at an airspeed of 65 knots to compensate for gusty wind conditions. He would normally have flown the approach at 55 knots for a short field landing. As the pilot flared the airplane, it started to float down the runway as the gusty wind conditions dissipated when the airplane descended below the tree line. The pilot delayed making a decision to execute a go-around until the airplane was halfway down the runway. At this point, he did not believe the airplane would be able to clear obstacles at the end of the runway and elected to continue the landing. The airplane touched down about 800 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot applied the brakes; however, the wet grass runway surface reduced braking action, and the airplane overran the runway and encountered a ravine. The nose gear collapsed, and the firewall was wrinkled.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he made his final approach to the 2,050-foot-long turf runway at an airspeed of 65 knots to compensate for gusty wind conditions. He would normally have flown the approach at 55 knots for a short field landing. As the pilot flared the airplane, it started to float down the runway as the gusty wind conditions dissipated when the airplane descended below the tree line. The pilot delayed making a decision to execute a go-around until the airplane was halfway down the runway. At this point, he did not believe the airplane would be able to clear obstacles at the end of the runway and elected to continue the landing. The airplane touched down about 800 feet from the end of the runway. The pilot applied the brakes; however, the wet grass runway surface reduced braking action, and the airplane overran the runway and encountered a ravine. The nose gear collapsed, and the firewall was wrinkled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N94HJ
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17265633
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- PAE · Everett, WA
- Destination
- S88 · Skykomish, WA
- Airport
- S88 · Skykomish State, runway 24, 2,050 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 748 total · 660 in this make and model · 30 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.