Summary
On April 20, 2020, a Cessna 172 (N75765) was involved in an accident near Yakima, WA. The accident resulted in 2 minor injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude during a go-around, which resulted in impact with hilly terrain.
The pilot reported that he elected to conduct a low approach over the private airstrip to familiarize himself with the area. He approached the airstrip from the north and entered a left base. After turning final, the airplane was on a stabilized approach. About 20 ft above the airstrip he applied full power, pitched the nose up, and retracted the flaps. The airplane would not gain altitude and the uphill elevation of the airstrip was quickly rising. The airplane narrowly cleared the hill at the end of the airstrip, but continued to lose altitude. The airplane touched down, went over an embankment and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane's fuselage and wings were substantially damaged.
This accident is documented in NTSB report WPR20CA125. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N75765.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to attain sufficient altitude during a go-around, which resulted in impact with hilly terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that he elected to conduct a low approach over the private airstrip to familiarize himself with the area. He approached the airstrip from the north and entered a left base. After turning final, the airplane was on a stabilized approach. About 20 ft above the airstrip he applied full power, pitched the nose up, and retracted the flaps. The airplane would not gain altitude and the uphill elevation of the airstrip was quickly rising. The airplane narrowly cleared the hill at the end of the airstrip, but continued to lose altitude. The airplane touched down, went over an embankment and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane's fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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# WPR20CA125