Cessna 172M accident near Wenatchee, Washington, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N72655, was destroyed in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- July 17, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N72655 · no longer on the register · serial 17267230
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PILOT, A GEOLOGIST, WAS ON A FLIGHT TO CHECK ROCK FORMATIONS. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE PLANE WAS OBSERVED FLYING UP A CANYON AT LOW ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. ABOUT 3/4 MILE FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, TWO WITNESSES ON A ROCKY CLIFF AT ABOUT 3500 FT MSL SAW THE PLANE PASS BELOW THEIR ELEVATION, JUST ABOVE THE TREE TOPS. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON A 35 DEG RISING SLOPE BETWEEN 2 PARKING LOTS AT A SKI LODGE. THE ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOUT 4500 FT MSL. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 902 hours in all; 530 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 781 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,289 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Avx Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: Wenatchee WA at 1:16 pm
- Destination: Seattle WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 23,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 169°F (76°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.