Cessna 172N N6371D

Summary

On 31 May 2010 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N6371D, operated by Savard Paula K, was involved in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 May 2010 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sterling, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Sterling Airport (3B3)

Coordinates

42.4242, -71.7911

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N6371D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Savard Paula K

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newbury Port → Sterling

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10CA289

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to not continue with the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to the passenger’s panicked condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 34 based on the prevailing wind. She observed the wind sock change to favor runway 16 and in response she maneuvered the airplane for a runway 16 landing. The wind changed direction again to favor runway 34 and she maneuvered the airplane to that runway. She thought the airplane was too high over the touchdown zone and elected to perform a go-around. The passenger in the right seat panicked and started screaming, so the pilot discontinued the go-around, closed the throttle, and the airplane settled into the trees past the runway’s end. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.