Cessna 172 N accident near Sultan, Washington, April 21, 2001
On April 21, 2001 at about 11:43 pm local time, a Cessna 172 N, registered N8402E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sultan, Washington (Sky Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees and terrain during the airplane's initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 2001 · about 11:43 pm local time
- Place
- Sultan, Washington · Sky Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N · all 172 Ns on the register
- Registration
- N8402E · no longer on the register · serial 17272194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, during the initial climb out, the airplane collided with trees and terrain approximately 1,000 feet beyond the departure end of the turf runway. A witness to the accident (a certified pilot) reported that the airplane appeared to stall just before colliding with trees. The pilot stated that he noted a decreasing airspeed just before colliding with tree tops. Post-accident examination of the airplane by personal from the NTSB, Cessna Aircraft and Textron Lycoming revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure.
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: 396 hours in all; 360 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 363 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 9, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,211 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 26, 2000; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA64 Sultan WA at 11:43 pm
- Destination: WA64
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 1,930 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PAE, 20 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.
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.