Cessna 172M accident near Omak, Washington, May 16, 1999
On May 16, 1999 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73040, was substantially damaged in an accident near Omak, Washington (Omack Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly secure the aircraft before hand-propping.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1999 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Omak, Washington · Omack Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73040 · registry record · serial 17267247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Because of a low battery situation, the pilot elected to hand-prop the airplane. Once started, the aircraft rolled approximately 100 feet across the tarmac and collided with a hangar. The pilot was unable to gain access to the aircraft before it collided with the hangar. The aircraft's parking brake was not properly set and the wheels were not chocked.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,660 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2,537 as pilot in command; 118 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,841 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 1999; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: S35 Okanogan WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from OMK
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.