Cessna 172P accident near Kingston, Washington, July 22, 1992
On July 22, 1992 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52201, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingston, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CONDUCT VFR FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS INCLUDE FOG AND LOW CEILINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1992 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Kingston, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52201 · no longer on the register · serial 17274434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172 DEPARTED RENTON AIRPORT FOR A LOCAL FLIGHT. WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT FLYING IN FOGGY CONDITIONS WITH AS LITTLE AS ONE-EIGHTH MILE VISIBILITY. THE AIRCRAFT PASSED OVER A WITNESS'S BOAT AND WAS OBSERVED MANEUVERING IN A TURN TO THE LEFT. THE LEFT WINGTIP CAUGHT IN THE WATER AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED, SINKING IMMEDIATELY.
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: 11,352 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,736 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1992; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: RNT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from PAE, 12 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.