Cessna 172P accident near Leavenworth, Washington, September 18, 1992
On September 18, 1992 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62036, was destroyed in an accident near Leavenworth, Washington (Lake Wenatchee State airport). It was an executive or corporate 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 PREMATURE LIFT OFF BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE SOFT, ROUGH TURF AIRSTRIP AND THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1992 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Leavenworth, Washington · Lake Wenatchee State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62036 · no longer on the register · serial 17275200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON A SOFT, ROUGH, TURF AIRSTRIP, AND THE ACFT LIFTED OFF NEAR MIDFIELD AT A SLOW AIRSPEED IN A STEEP NOSE UP ATTITUDE. THE ACFT CLIMBED TO 50 TO 60 FT. AGL, LEVELED OFF, AND ROTATED INTO A STEEP NOSE UP ATTITUDE NEAR THE END OF THE STRIP. THE ACFT DESCENDED INTO TREES AT THE END OF THE STRIP IN A WINGS LEVEL, NOSE UP ATTITUDE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: WA32 Leavenworth WA at 8:10 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,500 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from EAT, 33 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.