Cessna 172B accident near Eatonville, Washington, May 22, 1992
On May 22, 1992 at about 7:01 am local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N7579X, was destroyed in an accident near Eatonville, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNDETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1992 · about 7:01 am local time
- Place
- Eatonville, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7579X · no longer on the register · serial 17248079
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT, AGE 84, HAD CORONARY BYPASS SURGERY 2 YEARS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AND A STROKE 1 YEAR BEFORE. HE DEPARTED ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLT IN 2 YEARS, AND DID NOT RETURN. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED 9 DAYS LATER WITHIN VIEW FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE HAD IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A HILL IN A STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE. THE PILOT WAS TREATED RECENTLY FOR DEPRESSION, AND WAS TAKING MEDICATION FOR INSOMNIA.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,252 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 24, 1991; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from TCM, 21 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.