- Date
- February 17, 1985, 14:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Spanaway, WA
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N84578Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850217029989A
- Case key
- 40117
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt was attempting to better align the acft for final apch when a tree was struck with the right wing. The plt stated she was distracted while making preparations to land. The landing was continued without incident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84578
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258532
- Airframe hours
- 2,051
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Christopher Farwell
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 12, 1984 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- LAC · Ft. Lewis, WA
- Destination
- S44 · Spanaway, WA
- Airport
- S44 · Spanaway, runway 34, 2,700 × 90 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 94 total · 19 in this make and model · 63 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.