Cessna 172RG accident near Kent, Washington, August 8, 2013
On August 8, 2013 at about 7:45 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172RG, registered N4886V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Kent, Washington (Crest Airpark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the certified flight instructor and student pilot to complete the landing checklist resulting in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2013 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Kent, Washington · Crest Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG, built 1980 · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N4886V · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the flight instructor requested that the student pilot, a commercial rated pilot in the right seat, demonstrate a simulated emergency engine-out landing. The student reduced the throttle to idle, turned toward the runway, and completed the GUMPS (gas, undercarriage, mixture, propeller, seat belt and switches) checklist. The student announced that he would not lower the landing gear and flaps until the runway was assured. Once established on centerline, a final check was not completed, and the student made a gear-up landing. The lower fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 351 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,690 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 242 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command; 2,797 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,928 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,658 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crest Airpark INC
The flight
- Departed from: S36 Kent WA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: S36 Kent WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,288 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KSEA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.