N72CMCessna 172M · 1975

The pilot was attempting to land and noted that the airplane seemed to be flying “fast.” She described that while she believed that the wind conditions were favoring the runway selected for landing, she also noted that a gusting crosswind was present. During the landing, when she reached to adjust the flap setting, she inadvertently increased the throttle. She responded by applying braking, but the airplane ultimately departed the end of the runway and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation, and that instead of landing at the accident airport, she should have diverted to an airport with a longer runway that was more oriented into the wind.