Cessna 172P accident near Bellingham, Washington, April 14, 2021
On April 14, 2021 at about 11:40 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172P, registered N51380, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bellingham, Washington (Bellingham Intl 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadequate flare resulting in a loss of control during landing with a crosswind and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2021 · about 11:40 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Bellingham, Washington · Bellingham Intl Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P, built 1980 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N51380 · registry record · serial 17274305
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, he configured the airplane for landing on runway 34 and was compensating for a 9 kt left crosswind. The student pilot flared too aggressively, and the airplane ballooned, at which point he lost directional control. The airplane touched down and he applied excessive brake pressure. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on equipment
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 63 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,745 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 2021; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 7,839 hours total
- Operator: Regal Air
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 6,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from BLI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 1, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph of Airplane (Source of Photo Unknown) | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N51380 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N51380 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,693 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,678 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M 418 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bellingham International · nearest airport
- Seattle Paine Field International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 361 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,664 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N51380 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR21LA157.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.