Cessna 172 and amateur-built Pitts accident near Burlington, Washington, May 17, 2009
On May 17, 2009 at about 1:00 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172 (N70323) and amateur-built Pitts (N133GT), were involved in the same accident near Burlington, Washington (Skagit Regional Airport). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot of another airplane to maintain adequate visual lookout during the approach.
Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate visual lookout during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2009 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · Skagit Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172 M · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N70323 · registry record · serial 172672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built Pitts Model 12
- Registration
- N133GT · registry record · serial 137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Cessna pilot reported that as he entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he observed the Pitts making a high-speed, low pass over the runway surface. After reaching a point 3/4 down the runway, the Pitts began a steep, near vertical climb. It then appeared to turn toward the downwind leg. The Cessna pilot made a transmission over the common traffic advisory (CTAF) frequency querying if the Pitts had his airplane in sight. There was no response. The Cessna pilot continued maneuvering the airplane onto base and then final approach, making a radio transmission of his position at each leg. The Cessna touched down normally and began to slow as the pilot applied brakes. While the Cessna slowed, the Pitts landed on top of the left wing. The Pitts skidded out in front of the Cessna, sliding inverted and backwards down the runway; the Cessna skidded and nosed over. The Pitts pilot reported that he aborted his first landing approach due to traffic that had not yet cleared the runway, aggressively ascended to traffic pattern altitude, and began a left traffic pattern. The Pitts pilot stated that during his second approach, he did not see any other airplanes, nor did he hear any other traffic over the CTAF, which he was monitoring. According to 14 CFR 91.113, "Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface."
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 NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built Pitts final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Cessna pilot reported that as he entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern he observed the Pitts making a high-speed, low pass over the runway surface. After reaching a point 3/4 down the runway, the Pitts began a steep, near vertical climb. It then appeared to turn toward the downwind leg. The Cessna pilot made a transmission over the common traffic advisory (CTAF) frequency querying if the Pitts had his airplane in sight. There was no response. The Cessna pilot continued maneuvering the airplane onto base and then final approach, making a radio transmission of his position at each leg. The Cessna touched down normally and began to slow as the pilot applied brakes. While the Cessna slowed, the Pitts landed on top of the left wing. The Pitts skidded out in front of the Cessna, sliding inverted and backwards down the runway; the Cessna skidded and nosed over. The Pitts pilot reported that he aborted his first landing approach due to traffic that had not yet cleared the runway, aggressively ascended to traffic pattern altitude, and began a left traffic pattern. The Pitts pilot stated that during his second approach, he did not see any other airplanes, nor did he hear any other traffic over the CTAF, which he was monitoring. According to 14 CFR 91.113, "Aircraft, while on final approach to land or while landing, have the right-of-way over other aircraft in flight or operating on the surface."
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 for the Cessna 172 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,949 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 12, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,530 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 29, 2009; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westwind Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 11S Sekiu WA at 10:20 pm
- Destination: BVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 5,477 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:10 am from BVS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the amateur-built Pitts from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vedeneyev Mk-14II (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA
- Destination: BVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,477 ft by 100 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR09FA246.