Cessna 172K accident near Clarkston, Washington, June 13, 2002
On June 13, 2002 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N84840, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarkston, Washington. 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 control of the aircraft during taxi along the gravel landing site after having landed off the designated runway. A contributing factor was the embankment which the aircraft's left wing impacted during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2002 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Clarkston, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N84840 · registry record · serial 17258638
- 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 he called ahead to get details on the location of the intended landing site and a description of the runway for the privately owned, non-airspaced landing site near Clarkston, Washington. Upon arrival he overflew the landing area in the Cessna 172K and then proceeded to land the aircraft on a gravel driveway. The pilot reported that during taxi uphill on the gravel driveway he "lost control of the aircraft" and the aircraft skidded off the gravel driveway into upsloping terrain along the left side of the driveway. A witness (landing site owner) who observed the landing reported that the pilot elected to land on the gravel driveway vice the parallel "airstrip" and that the driveway had a steep bank on one side with the "airstrip" on the other side. He reported that as the aircraft was taxiing "fairly fast" uphill towards the hangar area the left wingtip impacted the left bank and the aircraft swerved left off the gravel drive.
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: 390 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 5, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF Spokane WA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Clarkston WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from LWS, 6 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.