Cessna 172 N734QQ accident near Port Angeles, Washington

Probable cause

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during a turn away from terrain, which resulted in an accelerated stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to delay the turn to avoid terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, during a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain, he had a tailwind and allowed the airplane to get too close to terrain. He initiated a right turn to avoid rising terrain, but the terrain was "getting close very quickly." The pilot increased the bank angle, and the nose dropped. The pilot then applied forward pressure on the yoke, and full throttle had already been applied. The airplane stalled and then impacted terrain. Both wings and the fuselage sustained substantial damage.

In the recommendation section of the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot Aviation Accident Report, the pilot reported that his decision to delay the turn away from rising terrain was impulsive and the main reason for this accident.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA18CA248 for the full record.