Cessna 172 accident near Concrete, Washington, February 20, 2002
On February 20, 2002 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered CFISS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concrete, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance/altitude while reversing course and turning towards rising, tree covered terrain in downdraft conditions. Contributing factors were trees, rising terrain, downdrafts and the pilot's in-flight decision to turn towards rather than away from steeper terrain during his course reversal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2002 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Concrete, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- CFISS · no longer on the register · serial 28779
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was following the Skagit River eastbound approximately 1500-1800 feet above sea level when he observed rain showers ahead and he decided to execute a course reversal. He initiated a left turn at 75 miles per hour utilizing two "notches" (20 degrees) of flaps and noted a sink rate. He then applied full power and raised the flaps to one "notch" (10 degrees) during which the sink rate continued. The pilot reported that it "felt like the aircraft was getting sucked down." As the aircraft continued in its left turn towards the rising, tree covered hillside, the pilot executed a controlled crash into the trees and terrain. A topographic chart of the vicinity of the accident showed that the terrain gradient was considerably shallower to the south, and that the left turn initiated by the pilot placed the aircraft flying towards higher gradient terrain. The pilot reported that he had been using carburetor heat throughout the flight and that the aircraft's engine had been performing as expected.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,294 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2001; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YNJ Langley, Bc at 3:00 pm
- Destination: YCW Chilliwak, Bc
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from AWO, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.