Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172 N5115K

30 March 1997 · Auburn, Washington, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 30 March 1997 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N5115K was involved in an accident near Auburn, Washington, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 21:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Auburn, Washington, United States
Nearest airport
Auburn Municipal (S50)
Coordinates
47.3107, -122.2205
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N5115K
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
SEA97LA080

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 0 0 2

Probable cause

the pilots' inadequate evaluation of the strong winds, when they attempted to turn to taxi with a very strong tailwind. Factors relating to the accident included the high and unfavorable winds.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After landing in strong crosswinds, the flight instructor (CFI), receiving a flight review, turned off the active runway to taxi to the ramp. When turning off the runway to the east, away from the prevailing winds, the two CFI's found the winds too excessive to taxi, and decided to turn into the wind again. Before completing the turn, the winds picked up the tail. The airplane nosed over, sustaining damage to the right wing, vertical fin, rudder, and tailcone.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Jun 1997 Cessna 172P
N55121
Fowlerville, Michigan, United States - No injuries -
15 Jul 1997 Cessna 172N
N737EV
Lakeland, Florida, United States - No injuries -
20 Jul 1997 Cessna 172M
N13428
Athens, Tennessee, United States Michael B. Guest No injuries -
24 Nov 1997 Cessna 172N
N6463D
La Jolla, California, United States Richard Jones Fatal 1
8 Aug 1997 Cessna 172P
N66098
Rockhill, South Carolina, United States Scott S. Fisher Minor injuries -
22 Mar 1997 Cessna 172
N733LK
Middletown, Ohio, United States Barbara F. Schmidt No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
28 Sep 1997 Piper PA-32-300
N55629
Stuart Island, Washington, United States - No injuries -
13 Dec 1997 Aero Commander 690A
N72VF
Yakima, Washington, United States - Fatal 2
19 Oct 1997 Piper PA-28-151
N5987F
Vashon, Washington, United States
no coordinates
- No injuries -
15 Nov 1997 Piper PA-18-150
N1668P
Battle Ground, Washington, United States - Serious injuries -
1 Dec 1997 Aero Commander 112
N1054J
Kettle Falls, Washington, United States - Fatal 3
10 Dec 1997 Cessna 150J
N51369
Silverdale, Washington, United States Alternate Air Flying Club No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States