Cessna Aircraft CO 162 accident near Tacoma, Washington, July 28, 2013
On July 28, 2013 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna Aircraft CO 162, registered N1205J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Tacoma, Washington (Tacoma Narrows 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 improper level off/flare resulted in a hard landing/bounce and subsequent nose gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2013 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tacoma, Washington · Tacoma Narrows Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft CO 162
- Registration
- N1205J · no longer on the register · serial 16200064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the first touch-and-go landing, the touchdown was firmer than normal and the airplane bounced. The pilot recovered from the bounce and continued to land. As he lowered the nose, the nose wheel collpased and the airplane veered off to the left side of the runway. Postaccident documentation of the runway identified witness marks on the runway that indicated the nosewheel strut had impacted the runway, followed by some distance later the nose gear fully collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure with the gear that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 173 hours in all; 91 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 2, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 330.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,324 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors Inc O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dd Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: KTIW Tacoma WA at 6:40 pm
- Destination: KTIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KTIW
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.