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WPR24LA315

2024-09-26 · Kooskia, Idaho, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport S92

Current FAA registration · N54829

Make / Model
CESSNA 172P
Year of manufacture
1981 · 43 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19810616
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A6F864

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s decision to descend into a canyon that exceeded the performance capabilities of the airplane, which resulted in an impact with trees and terrain.

Factual narrative

The pilot of the airplane reported that while enroute he chose to descend and perform a low pass over an airstrip located within a canyon. After the airplane overflew the airstrip, the pilot realized the airplane’s climb performance was insufficient to clear the rising terrain in its flight path. Subsequently, the airplane impacted trees and terrain, resulting substantial damage to its wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-Climb capability-Capability exceeded

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2024_WPR24LA315.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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