Summary
On May 02, 2018, a Cessna 172 (N734QQ) was involved in an accident near Port Angeles, WA. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: 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.
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 the terrain.
He initiated a right turn to avoid the rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased bank angle and the nose dropped.
The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied.
The airplane descended and impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported in the Recommendation section that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main culprit for this accident.
This accident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA248. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N734QQ.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
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.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
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 the terrain.
He initiated a right turn to avoid the rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased bank angle and the nose dropped.
The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied.
The airplane descended and impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Per the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported in the Recommendation section that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main culprit for this accident.
The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA18CA248