Cessna 140 accident near Spokane, Washington, January 15, 1982
On January 15, 1982 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72901, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spokane, Washington (Felts airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1982 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane, Washington · Felts · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72901 · no longer on the register · serial 10095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE PILOT MADE A THOROUGH GROUND CHECK AND TAXIED OUT FOR A TEST FLIGHT. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL. THE PILOT LANDED ON THE RUNWAY OVERRUN IN ABOUT 9 INCHES OF CRUSTED SNOW AND THE PLANE NOSED OVER. NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND WITH THE ENGINE, FUEL, OR FUEL SYSTEM. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATED AT TAKEOFF POWER FOR 2 MINUTES USING BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS WITH NO DISCREPANCIES.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,271 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 9,999 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,261 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SFF Spokane WA at 9:05 am
- Destination: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N72901 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.