Cessna 172 N734QQ

Summary

On 2 May 2018 at about 15:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N734QQ was involved in an accident near Port Angeles, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 May 2018 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Port Angeles, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.5981, -123.2761

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N734QQ

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Port Angeles → Shelton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA248

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn away from terrain, which resulted in an accelerated stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to delay the turn to avoid terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain, he had a tailwind and allowed the airplane to get too close to terrain. He initiated a right turn to avoid rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased the bank angle, and the nose dropped. The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied. The airplane stalled and then impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage. In the recommendation section of the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main reason for this accident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.