Cessna 172M accident near Diamond Point, Washington, December 6, 2009
On December 6, 2009, a Cessna 172M, registered N20186, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Diamond Point, Washington (Diamond Point airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the variable and unfavorable wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 2009
- Place
- Diamond Point, Washington · Diamond Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20186 · no longer on the register · serial 17261079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing at a non-controlled airport where variable gusty winds were present. While on final, she encountered a right crosswind and then both updrafts and downdrafts as she crossed over a cliff under the flight path. The pilot said that while the touchdown was uneventful, as the airplane slowed during the landing roll it encountered a right crosswind gust and the right wing lifted. Although the pilot attempted remedial flight control inputs and added power, the left wing scrapped the runway surface and the airplane rotated to the left, exposing it to a nearly direct tailwind. As the pilot attempted to bring it back under control, the airplane nosed over onto its back. According to the pilot, there was no indication of any problem with the flight control or nosewheel steering systems. The pilot also stated that the winds from the north were unusual for this airport, and that she based her assumptions as to what would happen on the runway on the normal westerly or southeasterly winds.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 426 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 377 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2009
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBFI Seattle WA
- Destination: 2WA1 Diamond Point WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,300 ft by 24 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.