Cessna 172N accident near Cle Elum, Washington, September 5, 1982
On September 5, 1982 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N1295F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cle Elum, Washington (Ele Elum Municipal 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 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
- September 5, 1982 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Cle Elum, Washington · Ele Elum Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N1295F · no longer on the register · serial 17272989
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO GET ADDITIONAL CROSS-COUNTRY AND MOUNTAIN FLYING TIME, SO SHE ELECTED TO FLY TO CLE ELUM, WA. UPON ARRIVAL, SHE FLEW OVER AND OBSERVED THE WIND SOCK TO BE LIMP. WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 25, SHE DECIDED SHE WAS TOO LOW AND EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. SHE REPORTED ADDING FULL POWER, RAISING THE FLAPS AND ATTEMPTING TO CLIMB OVER TREES. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, SHE HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN. SHE REPORTED LOWERING THE NOSE; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A PRIVATE CERTIFICATE ABOUT SIX MONTHS EARLIER. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN HER FIRST LANDING AT CLE ELUM.
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: 135 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 76 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 727 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: East Haddam CT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 2,452 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 147°F (64°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from SMP, 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.