Cessna 172H accident near Metaline Falls, Washington, August 14, 2013
On August 14, 2013 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 172H, registered N8160L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Metaline Falls, Washington (Sullivan Lake State 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a windsock pole while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2013 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Metaline Falls, Washington · Sullivan Lake State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H, built 1967 · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8160L · registry record · serial 17256360
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taxiing to the north, on the west side of the runway outside of the runway markers in preparation for takeoff. While maneuvering the airplane around a pothole, he lost sight of the windsock pole in the clutter of trees lining the airport boundary. Subsequently, the left wing struck the windsock pole, resulting in substantial damage to the wing spar. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wind sock › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 614 hours in all; 612 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 614 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 24, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,764 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 09S Metaline Falls WA
- Destination: 65S Boundry CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 1,765 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 WPR13CA371.