Event SEA93LA170

Factual narrative

On August 2, 1993, at 0800 hours mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9554H, landed short of the airstrip near Yellow Pine, Idaho, and collided with the terrain. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the certificated commercial pilot and her passenger received minor injuries. The flight had departed from McCall, Idaho, on August 2, 1993, at 0730 hours and was en route to Yellow Pine. During a telephone interview and subsequent written statement, the pilot stated that due to terrain constraints, the pattern was flown close to the runway. From downwind, the pilot made an immediate base to final approach turn to the airstrip, having to make corrections to align with the centerline. The airplane lost altitude and airspeed during the turns and the airplane landed short and collided with a fence before the pilot was able to regain enough altitude and airspeed to land on the airstrip. The airstrip lies between mountain ranges to the east and west, with trees on all sides. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DUE TO TERRAIN CONSTRAINTS, THE PATTERN WAS FLOWN CLOSE TO THE AIRSTRIP. SHE MADE A TIGHT BASE TURN TO FINAL APPROACH AND HAD TO MAKE CORRECTIONS TO ALIGN WITH THE CENTERLINE. DURING THE TURNS, THE AIRPLANE LOST ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. BEFORE THE PILOT COMPENSATED FOR THE LOST ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED, THE AIRPLANE LANDED SHORT OF THE AIRSTRIP AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12