Cessna 172M accident near Vernonia, Oregon, May 29, 2004
On May 29, 2004 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N5440H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vernonia, Oregon (Vernonia Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The instructor pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance and his failure to execute a go-around resulting in an overrun of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2004 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Vernonia, Oregon · Vernonia Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5440H · no longer on the register · serial 17265438
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot, who was performing a simulated engine out forced landing as a demonstration for his student, allowed the aircraft's airspeed to remain too fast while on final approach to the 2,940 foot grass strip. Because the airspeed was faster than he desired, during the flare, the aircraft began to float further down the runway than where he had planned to touch down. The instructor pilot was unable to get the aircraft to touch down until approximately 1,000 feet down the runway. After touchdown on the wet grass, he attempted to stop the aircraft before it reached the end of the runway, but he was unable to do so before the aircraft went off the far end. After departing the runway, the aircraft collided with a nearby fence post.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,406 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 4, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S3 Twin Oaks A/P OR at 4:05 pm
- Destination: 05S Vernonia OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,940 ft by 45 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N5440H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.