Cessna 172N accident near Telma, Washington, March 20, 1983
On March 20, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738QA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Telma, Washington (Wenatchee State airport). It was a personal flight 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
- March 20, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Telma, Washington · Wenatchee State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738QA · registry record · serial 17270144
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH DEEP UNPLOWED SNOW ON THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD LANDED ON FROZEN SNOW BUT WHEN HE RETURNED TO TAKEOFF THE SNOW WAS SOFT. HE HAD A 1200 FT LONG PORTION OF THE RUNWAY CLEARED BUT IT WAS ABOUT 10 FT TOO SHORT. JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION THE NOSE WHEEL CAUGHT THE DEEPER SNOW AT THE END OF THEPLOWED PORTION OF RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT DID NOT USE FLAPS.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 314 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 233 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,006 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1983; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA32 Telma WA
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,500 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from EAT, 37 miles away
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.
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.