Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172F near Atlanta, ID — 2011-08-29

Final reportWPR11CA413
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Date
2011-08-29
Location
Atlanta, ID, USA
Airport
55H
Aircraft
CESSNA 172F
Registration
N8698U
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

The pilot’s misjudgment of his final approach path. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, on short final approach in his low performance airplane, he realized that his approach path was too high, so he attempted to go around. After full engine power was applied, he recognized that he had insufficient distance from the approaching trees and terrain to perform a go-around. Therefore, he aborted the maneuver and forced the airplane onto the ground in a clearing beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane impacted the ground hard, breaking the wing and fuselage structure. The pilot reported that he was unfamiliar with the airport, and he had not read the Federal Aviation Administration’s published remarks for the airport in its Airport Facility Directory. The remarks state, in part, that the airport is recommended for use by “mountain proficient pilots using high performance aircraft.” It also states “no go-around due to rising terrain and trees.” Nine-thousand foot mountains are located within 5 miles from northwest through southeast of the 5,500-foot mean sea level airport.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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