Cessna 172P accident near Waldron Island, Washington, November 2, 2000
On November 2, 2000 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65923, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waldron Island, Washington (Waldronaire 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper distance/speed during the approach, which lead to an overrun during the landing roll and subsequent collision with trees. A factor was the trees beyond the upwind end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 2000 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Waldron Island, Washington · Waldronaire Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65923 · registry record · serial 17275923
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that upon arrival in the area of the private 2,700 foot long, gravel airstrip, he executed a descending 360-degree turn to lose altitude, and then lined up to land to the southeast under light and variable wind conditions. He reported sequentially lowering the flaps to 30 degrees on the approach and then experienced a rapid descent rate. The touchdown was reported as within the first third of the runway at 60 knots. He then applied braking but felt the aircraft was not decelerating adequately. He then applied heavier braking during which the brakes locked and the aircraft continued off the upwind end of the runway impacting trees. A commuter pilot who landed at the airstrip about one hour later reported, 'Skid marks were present in the gravel approximately the last 500 feet of the runway to where the aircraft was resting in the trees' and the airstrip was 'not for the inexperienced' pilot. The aircraft flight manual for the Cessna 172P provided a 'Short Field' landing distance planning table which showed that at sea level and a weight of 2,400 pounds (maximum gross weight) and 10 degrees Centigrade, a ground roll distance of 530 feet was expected with a total distance of 1,265 feet to clear a 50 foot obstacle. The landing criteria were based upon no wind, flaps 30 degrees, power off, and maximum braking on a level, dry, paved runway. No mechanical malfunction of the aircraft's brakes or wheels was noted following the accident.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,015 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLY Olympia WA at 6:40 pm
- Destination: 90WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 2,700 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FHR, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N65923 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA01LA012.