Cessna 172N accident near Bandera, Washington, October 18, 2023
On October 18, 2023 at about 8:39 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172N, registered N734LJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bandera, Washington (Bandera State airport). It was a personal 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
The pilot’s decision to land at a closed water-soaked grass runway, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2023 · about 8:39 pm local time
- Place
- Bandera, Washington · Bandera State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1977 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734LJ · registry record · serial 17268935
- 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 landing on the 2,344 ft grass runway, the airplane floated and touched down near mid-field. The pilot applied the brakes and retracted the flaps, but the turf runway was waterlogged, and the airplane exited the end of the runway and nosed over. According to the airport’s chart supplement, the airport was closed from October 1, 2023, to June 1, 2023. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were 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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Performance calculations › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 134.1 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 23.5 in the last 30 days; 81.4 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 16, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,549.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 2023; 60.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-260-H2AD (piston); 1,717 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ESW Easton WA at 8:05 pm
- Destination: 4W0 Bandera WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08/2, 2,344 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 pm from KSMP, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSMP 182056Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/08 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP197 T01780083 58008=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on June 6, 2024. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Complete 6120_1 Narrative | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airplane Owner's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | K4W0 Airport Chart Supplement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Pilot's Landing Performance Calculations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Brake Inspection and Repair Estimate | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photograph | PDF, 1 page | 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 N734LJ the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.