Boeing B75N1 accident near Spokane Valley, Washington, June 15, 2025
On June 15, 2025 at about 9:19 pm local time, a 1942 Boeing B75N1, registered N6848, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Spokane Valley, Washington (Sky Meadows Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a takeoff roll in quartering tailwind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 2025 · about 9:19 pm local time
- Place
- Spokane Valley, Washington · Sky Meadows Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing B75N1, built 1942 · all B75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N6848 · registry record · serial 75-6848
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that while taking off from a grass runway during shifting wind conditions, the airplane did not accelerate, which he attributed to a quartering tailwind. The airplane began to drift left and, as it neared the edge of the runway, the pilot retarded the throttle to idle to abort the takeoff. The airplane subsequently impacted a pump house located along the runway edge that was not visible from the cockpit and nosed over, resulting in substantial damage to both wings, the vertical stabilizer, and the rudder. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,913.6 hours in all; 212.7 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 20.8 in the last 30 days; 1,719.2 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 18, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,172.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6N (piston); 855 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SFF Spokane WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KSFF, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSFF 152153Z COR 18007KT 10SM CLR 28/M01 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02781006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 2, 2025. 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, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Video File 2 | MOV file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR25LA172.