- Date
- September 13, 2020, 10:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stanley, ID
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N52700Cessna 172
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20200913012019A
- Case key
- 102111
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 failure to maintain terrain clearance after flying into the wrong canyon in mountainous terrain which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain.
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, while climbing at 500 ft per minute, over mountainous terrain, he made a right turn into the wrong canyon from the flight the day before. Realizing his mistake, and unable to make a course reversal, the terrain was rising faster than the airplane could climb. He attempted a left-hand turn to try for lower terrain, however the airplane stalled and entered a spin. The pilot regained control and put the airplane in level flight just before colliding with trees. Both wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52700
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (P)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274583
- Built
- 1981
- Airframe hours
- 3,794
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 12, 2020 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- 2U8 · Stanley, ID
- Destination
- KLLJ · Challis, ID
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, ADS-B, Handheld GPS
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 15, 2020
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 637.7 total · 587.1 as pilot in command · 18.2 in the last 90 days · 5.4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 10, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.9 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.