Cessna 175B accident near Royal City, Washington, May 3, 2021
On May 3, 2021 at about 5:55 pm local time, a 1960 Cessna 175B, registered N8209T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Royal City, Washington (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a landing with a tailwind which resulted in excessive ground speed, runway over run and subsequent nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2021 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Royal City, Washington · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175B, built 1960 · all 175Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8209T · no longer on the register · serial 17556909
- 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, he departed from the west runway of his private dirt airstrip earlier on the morning of the accident with a calm wind. Upon his return he decided that a landing to the east was appropriate. The approach was normal however, during the landing flare he realized the ground speed was excessively fast and the wind had shifted to a tailwind. The airplane touched down 400 ft beyond the landing threshold of the 1,500 ft long runway and was still traveling fast. As the end of the runway approached, he attempted to steer the airplane to the left. The airplane rolled to the right, struck a concrete block, and nosed over substantially damaging the wings. The landing strip was furnished with two windsocks, and the pilot reported that due to power lines at the end of the runway, a go-around was not possible. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The closest official weather reporting station, about 32 miles northeast of the accident site, reported wind between 4 and 9 knots generally out of the southeast during the three-hour period leading up to the accident. However, about 40 minutes after the accident, an aviation special weather report (SPECI) was issued due to a significant change in weather, indicating that the wind had shifted and was now out of the southwest.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,170 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 18, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 28, 2020; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 2,325 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Royal City WA at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 090, 1,500 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from KMWH, 28 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMWH 031752Z 16011KT 10SM SCT120 18/01 A3009 RMK AO2 SLP189 T01780006 10178 20050 58004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 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 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Kmwh METAR | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.
