Cessna 172P N51380

Summary

On 14 April 2021 at about 23:40 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N51380, operated by Regal Air, was involved in an accident near Bellingham, Washington, United States. One person was 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.

Date

14 April 2021 at 23:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Bellingham, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Bellingham Intl Airport (BLI)

Coordinates

48.7927, -122.5375

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N51380

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Regal Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Everett → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA157

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s inadequate flare resulting in a loss of control during landing with a crosswind and subsequent nose over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that, he configured the airplane for landing on runway 34 and was compensating for a 9 kt left crosswind. The student pilot flared too aggressively, and the airplane ballooned, at which point he lost directional control. The airplane touched down and he applied excessive brake pressure. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.