Cessna 172M accident near Mcleary, Washington, February 4, 1996
On February 4, 1996 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6750H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcleary, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from mountainous/wooded terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the terrain and downdraft conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1996 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mcleary, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6750H · registry record · serial 17265566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was on a personal/sightseeing flight, and the pilot reported crossing Capitol Peak (2,660 feet) approximately 400 to 500 feet above the terrain. According to the pilot, the aircraft encountered a downdraft during which the right wing impacted a tree. The aircraft continued flying, and the pilot proceeded to Olympia, Washington, and landed.
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: 320 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,828 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIW Tacoma WA at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from OLM, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N6750H 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.