Cessna 172M N73422

Summary

On 8 November 1989 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N73422 was involved in an accident near Snoqualmie, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 November 1989 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Snoqualmie, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.5301, -121.8001

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N73422

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Renton → Moses Lake

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA90FA133

1 person died.

INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND POOR WEATHER EVALUATION BY THE PILOT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF ON AN IFR FLIGHT, THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB TO THE ASSIGNED ALTITUDE DUE TO THE ACCUMULATION OF ICE. THE PLT WAS CLEARED TO RETURN TO THE ORIGINATING ARPT. EN ROUTE, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW THE MDA IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RADIO AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITH THE AID OF ANOTHER AIRPLANE TO RELAY MESSAGES, THE PLT WAS GIVEN VECTORS IN THE DIRECTION TO LOWER TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN IMC WHEN COMMUNICATION WAS LOST. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND 8 MONTHS LATER. DURING THE INVESTIGATION THERE WERE NO NOTED MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.