Cessna 172K N7417G

Summary

On 18 July 1994 at about 15:40 local time, a Cessna 172K registered N7417G was involved in an accident near Patos Island, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 1994 at 15:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Patos Island, Washington, United States

Coordinates

48.6096, -122.8793

Aircraft

Cessna 172K

Registration

N7417G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Friday Harbor

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dawn

NTSB number

SEA94FA182

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS (MARIJUANA), AND HIS IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM TREES, WHILE TAKING OFF TOWARD THE CLOSED END OF A COVE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT, WHO DID NOT HOLD A SEAPLANE RATING, WAS TAKING OFF TOWARD THE CLOSED END OF A COVE IN A FLOAT-EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT. JUST AFTER LIFTOFF, HE ATTEMPTED TO FLY THROUGH A NARROW OPENING IN THE TREES, BUT HIS RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED A TREE. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CARTWHEELED ONTO THE SHORELINE AND SLID INTO THE WATER. IT CAME TO REST WITH THE CABIN SUBMERGED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT HAD BEEN RUNNING AT FULL POWER FROM THE TIME THE TAKEOFF WAS STARTED UNTIL THE PLANE CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED IT CONTAINED 0.015 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL (MARIJUANA), AND 0.012 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYLIC ACID. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED 0.326 UG/ML OF TETRAHYDROCANNABINOL CARBOXYULIC ACID.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.