| Crash location | 42.424167°N, 71.791111°W |
| Nearest city | Sterling, MA
42.433425°N, 71.782849°W 0.8 miles away |
| Tail number | N6371D |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 31 May 2010 |
| Aircraft type | Cessna 172N |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot entered the traffic pattern for runway 34 based on prevailing winds. She observed the wind sock change to favor runway 16, so she began to maneuver the airplane for a runway 16 landing. The winds again changed direction to favor runway 34. While on final approach for runway 34, she found herself too high over the touchdown zone, so she executed a go-around. A passenger in the right seat panicked and started screaming, so the pilot discontinued the go-around, closed the throttle, and the airplane settled into the trees past the runway end. Structural damage to the wings and fuselage resulted. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
The pilot’s decision to not continue with the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to the passenger’s panicked condition.