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Atlas / NTSB / SEA94LA102

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event SEA94LA102

1994-04-16 COLVILLE, Washington, United States Airport · 63S None 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N3854Q

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 172L

Engine

LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19710820

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A470D0

Registrant of record

HAFFORD JAY T

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN A PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HIS EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AT THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN. FACTORS INCLUDE THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE, AND A RAVINE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.

Factual narrative

On April 16, 1994, at 1545 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 172L, N3854Q, ran off the end of the runway and nosed over at Colville Municipal Airport, Colville, Washington. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The initial cross-country solo flight, which departed Spokane International Airport, Spokane, Washington, at 1430 PDT, was operating in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The flight had been on a VFR flight plan, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to the student pilot, he landed fast and long, and was unable to get the aircraft stopped before it exited the end of the runway. After exiting the runway, the aircraft went over a 15 foot drop-off and nosed over. The student pilot also reported that, prior to this flight, he had only flown 4.7 hours in the last ninety days. THE STUDENT PILOT, WHO HAD ONLY FLOWN 4.7 HOURS IN THE LAST NINETY DAYS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT, WAS ATTEMPTING A FULL-STOP LANDING AT THE END OF A LONG SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY. HE LANDED LONG AND FAST, AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER DEPARTING THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT WENT OVER A 15 FOOT DROP-OFF AND NOSED OVER. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1994_SEA94LA102.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.