Cessna 172G accident near Paradise, Washington, September 5, 1994
On September 5, 1994 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4628L, was destroyed in an accident near Paradise, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PROPER ALTITUDE WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 1994 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Paradise, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4628L · no longer on the register · serial 172-54623
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NEWLY RATED PRIVATE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CROSS A RIDGE. HOWEVER, PASSENGERS AND WITNESSES STATED THE PILOT MAINTAINED VERY LOW ALTITUDE THROUGHOUT THE FLIGHT. PASSENGERS REPORTED THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE INTO A MOUNTAINOUS DRAINAGE WHERE THE AIRPLANE STRUCK TREES, THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE GRADIENT OF THE TERRAIN WAS DETERMINED TO EXCEED THE CLIMB GRADIENT CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: 78 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1994; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 55S Packwood WA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from YKM, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.