Cessna 172M accident near Richland, Washington, January 22, 2012
On January 22, 2012 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64270, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Richland, Washington (Richland Airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's improper landing flare and inadequate directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2012 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Richland, Washington · Richland Airport · 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
- N64270 · registry record · serial 17265142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a solo flight, the student pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. On the third landing, the pilot did not pitch the nose up sufficiently, and the airplane touched down and began to porpoise and wheelbarrow on the nose wheel. He attempted to steer the airplane back toward the centerline of the runway but was unsuccessful, and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. As the airplane left the pavement, it hit a snow berm and nosed over onto its back. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the vertical stabilizer. The pilot stated that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- 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)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,830 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 2011; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Kennewick Aircraft Services, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: RLD Richland WA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: RLD Richland WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.69 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PSC, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR12CA079.