Cessna 172M accident near Little Rock, Washington, July 20, 1991
On July 20, 1991 at about 2:05 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12958, was substantially damaged in an accident near Little Rock, Washington (Evergreen Gun Club airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A DELAYED GO-AROUND, AND AIRSPEED NOT BEING MAINTAINED. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN THE AIRCRAFT'S ABILITY, THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, MISJUDGED CLEARANCE, AND THE USE OF IMPROPER PROCEDURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1991 · about 2:05 am local time
- Place
- Little Rock, Washington · Evergreen Gun Club
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12958 · no longer on the register · serial 17262403
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HEAVILY LOADED CESSNA 172 WAS FLYING A FULL-FLAP VFR APPROACH, WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE 2,500 FOOT RUNWAY. ALTHOUGH THE OWNER'S MANUAL CALLS FOR FULL POWER AND 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS DURING THIS MANEUVER, THE PILOT INITIALLY CHOSE TO SET 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS, AND ADDED ONLY PARTIAL POWER. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SETTLE THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER AND RAISED THE FLAPS TO 20 DEGREES. BUT, BECAUSE THE AIRSPEED WAS DECREASING AND THE STALL WARNING HORN WAS SOUNDING, THE PILOT RETURNED THE FLAPS TO THE 30 DEGREE POSITION. IN THIS CONFIGURATION THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS WITHIN 25 POUNDS OF MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT, DID NOT ACCELERATE OR CLIMB. THE PILOT THEN CONCLUDED THAT HE WOULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES AT THE END OF THE AIRSTRIP, AND WAS FORCED TO ATTEMPT A LANDING IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THIS ATTEMPT, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 267 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 267 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: C And C Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: OLM Olympia WA at 1:35 am
- Destination: BRM Bremerton WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 99 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
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.