Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Sterling Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Sterling, Massachusetts 01564
Monday, May 31, 2010 15:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 34 based on the prevailing wind. She observed the wind sock change to favor runway 16 and in response she maneuvered the airplane for a runway 16 landing. The wind changed direction again to favor runway 34 and she maneuvered the airplane to that runway. She thought the airplane was too high over the touchdown zone and elected to perform a go-around. The passenger in the right seat panicked and started screaming, so the pilot discontinued the go-around, closed the throttle, and the airplane settled into the trees past the runway’s end. The airplane sustained structural damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s decision to not continue with the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to the passenger’s panicked condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/31/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Sterling |
| Event State | MASSACHUSETTS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 01564 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 422527N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0714728W |
| Event Location Airport | Sterling Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 3B3 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 459 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1552 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FIT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 348 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 8 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 12 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27888 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA New England ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 23 2010 2:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6371D |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA289 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR/IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17272757 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 15 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7086 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SAVARD PAULA K |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 18 N COVE RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | STERLING |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 01564-1521 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SAVARD PAULA K |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 18 N COVE RD |
| Operator City | STERLING |
| Operator State | MA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 01564-1521 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 2B2 |
| Departure City | Newbury Port |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1445 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 3B3 |
| Destination City | Sterling |
| Destination State | MA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 23 2010 2:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 3086 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |