Cessna 172 accident near Republic, Washington, March 31, 2011
On March 31, 2011 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N7302A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Republic, Washington (Ferry 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 maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2011 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Republic, Washington · Ferry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7302A · registry record · serial 29402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing forward slips to a landing for his private pilot check ride, which was scheduled for the following day. He performed a no flap landing and when he applied the brakes, the airplane turned to the right, and departed the runway surface. The airplane collided with rocks about one foot high. The nose wheel separated, and the left wing sustained substantial damage.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on equipment
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,761 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 2, 2010; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: R49 Republic WA
- Destination: R49 Republic WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,498 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KOMK, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.