Cessna 172RG accident near Auburn, Washington, October 15, 2017
On October 15, 2017 at about 9:35 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172RG, registered N5159U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Auburn, Washington (Auburn Muni airport). It was an instructional 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 failure of the right main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2017 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Washington · Auburn Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG NO SERIES, built 1980 · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N5159U · registry record · serial 172RG0265
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to conduct commercial maneuvers in the local area. After completing maneuvers in the practice area, the pilot flew the airplane to the airport to conduct takeoffs and landings. The student pilot reported that he did his landing checklist about midfield on the downwind. After he put the landing gear handle down, he noted that he heard the landing gear hydraulic motor actuating. He added that he glanced at the gear down indictor light and believed that it was green. During the touchdown, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to a stop on the runway. After exiting the airplane, the flight instructor and student pilot noticed that the landing gear handle was down, the green gear down light was not illuminated, and the circuit breaker for the gear pump was open. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. During a postaccident examination, the airplane was lifted by jacks, and the landing gear were swung five times. The malfunction could not be reproduced, and no anomalies were noted.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 197 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 137 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 8,850 as pilot in command; 3,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 3, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,479.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 30, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 4,543 hours total
- Operator: Crest Airpark INC.
The flight
- Departed from: S36 Kent WA at 8:40 pm
- Destination: S50 Auburn WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KSEA, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 28, 2018. 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 | Record of Email (A&p) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | 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.