Cessna 172P Skyhawk, N51380: Accident occurred April 14, 2021 at Bellingham International Airport (KBLI), Whatcom County, Washington

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:

Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Seattle, Washington

Aircraft Leasing Inc

Regal Air

https://registry.faa.gov/N51380

Location: Bellingham, WA 

Accident Number: WPR21LA157

Date & Time: April 14, 2021, 16:45 Local 

Registration: N51380

Aircraft: Cessna 172P 

Injuries: 1 None

Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Instructional

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna 

Registration: N51380

Model/Series: 172P 

Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built: No

Operator:

Operating Certificate(s) Held: Pilot school (141)

Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC

Condition of Light: Day

Observation Facility, Elevation: BLI,170 ft msl 

Observation Time: 16:53 Local

Distance from Accident Site: 

Temperature/Dew Point: 18°C /0°C

Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear

Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 290°

Lowest Ceiling: None

Visibility: 10 miles

Altimeter Setting: 30.09 inches Hg 

Type of Flight Plan Filed:

Departure Point: Everett, WA (PAE)

Destination: Bellingham, WA

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None

Aircraft Damage: Substantial

Passenger Injuries: 

Aircraft Fire: None

Ground Injuries: 

Aircraft Explosion: None

Total Injuries: 1 None

Latitude, Longitude: 48.792694,-122.53752 (est)

A Cessna 172P Skyhawk flown by a student pilot attempting a landing at Bellingham International airport crashed upside down Thursday afternoon, but nobody was injured in the incident.

The incident occurred at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, April 14, on Runway 34 at the airport, Director of Aviation for the Port of Bellingham Sunil Harman told The Bellingham Herald in an email.

The student pilot was the only person in the plane at the time.

The airport is expected to be closed until the National Transportation Safety Board clears the removal of the plane, Harman reported, adding that it may take several hours, as a boom truck is needed to lift and remove the plane.

Bellingham Fire Department crews were sent to the airport to assist Port of Bellingham crews for an aircraft emergency at 4:43 p.m. Wednesday, April 14.

Unconfirmed radio reports at the time reported a Cessna 172P Skyhawk was down. Follow-up reports said that a small aircraft was on its side and that there was no smoke or fuel spillage.

https://www.bellinghamherald.com