Cessna 172P accident near Lind, Washington, October 29, 1992
On October 29, 1992, a Cessna 172P, registered N62731, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lind, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED ROUGH TERRAIN DURING THE LANDING ROLL AFTER THE PILOT ELECTED TO PERFORM A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD, DUE TO DETERIORATING WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 1992
- Place
- Lind, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62731 · no longer on the register · serial 172-75330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR A VFR FLIGHT AND THEN DEPARTED FOR HIS DESTINATION. APPROXIMATELY MID FLIGHT HE ENCOUNTERED FOG, LOW CEILINGS, CLOUDS, AND GENERALLY DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT. AS THE WEATHER CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE, AND DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS BEGAN TO PERSIST, THE PILOT CHOSE TO EXECUTE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT'S NOSE AND RIGHT WHEELS ENCOUNTERED RUTS AND THE AIRCRAFT MOMENTARILY IMPACTED ITS NOSE AND RIGHT WINGTIP BEFORE COMING TO REST.
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: 75 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 49 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,787 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Felts Field Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: S22 Hermiston OR at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,200 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N62731 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.