Cessna 172H accident near Sullivan Lake, Washington, July 12, 2003
On July 12, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N2805L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sullivan Lake, Washington (Sullivan Lake State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's downwind landing. A contributing factor was the tailwind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Sullivan Lake, Washington · Sullivan Lake State · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2805L · no longer on the register · serial 17256005
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported noting one windsock at the arrival airstrip hanging limp and no other indications of wind conditions. Witnesses reported a strong (15 knot) south wind with commensurate indications on both airport windsocks at the time of the accident as well as whitecaps on the adjacent lake surface characteristic of a south wind. The pilot executed an approach to the north to the 1,900 foot long turf runway touching down past the midpoint and then overran the upwind end of the runway.
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: 620 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 546 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 2002; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 09S Sullivan Lake WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from YCG, 30 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2805L: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,680 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-300D 31 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sullivan Lake State Airport · nearest airport
- Seattle Paine Field International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,709 since 1982 · 358 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,568 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA03LA136.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.