Cessna 172 accident near Twisp, Washington, April 3, 2017
On April 3, 2017 at about 9:45 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna 172, registered N7547G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Twisp, Washington (Twisp Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain crosswind correction during landing, which resulted in the airplane cartwheeling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 2017 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Twisp, Washington · Twisp Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 L, built 1970 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7547G · registry record · serial 17259247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, about 50 ft above the runway, a wind gust from the south caused the airplane to drift. The pilot added that she attempted to go around but was unsuccessful. The right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, the wind about the time of the accident was variable from 6° to 8°, gusting to between 10 and 12 knots. The airplane was landing on runway 28.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 190 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 21, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,523.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 23, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 1,222 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2S0 Twisp WA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: 2S0 Twisp WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,701 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KOMK, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 14, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.