# Incident 20260425005549I: Cessna Aircraft Co 162, Everett, WA, April 25, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 25, 2026, 10:30 local time
- Place: Everett, WA
- Airport: Seattle Paine Field Internatio
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 1B8S
- Location: 47.9073° N, 122.2821° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.9073&lon=-122.2821&mi=10
- Aircraft: N162HA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N162HA-2026-09-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 162 (registry code 060005E, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-162) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-200-D (registry code 17409, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O-200-D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 1,024 total, 328 in this make and model, 258 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA178) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260425005549I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

DURING A LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTING TRAFFIC PATTERN OPERATIONS AT KPAE, THE INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATED A LANDING FOLLOWING A STABILIZED APPROACH. THE LANDING WAS FIRM BUT NOT CONSIDERED HARD, AND TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WITH A NORMAL LANDING ATTITUDE. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT TOUCH-AND-GO, THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LOWERED TO THE RUNWAY WITHOUT ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS.

AFTER LIFTOFF DURING THE NEXT TAKEOFF, A “CLUNK” SOUND WAS HEARD DURING ROTATION. THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT OBSERVE ANY DEBRIS ON THE RUNWAY, AND AN INITIAL VISUAL ASSESSMENT INDICATED NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE MAIN LANDING GEAR. WHILE REMAINING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED A LOW APPROACH SO PERSONNEL POSITIONED NEAR THE TAXIWAY COULD VISUALLY INSPECT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. DURING THE LOW APPROACH, GROUND OBSERVERS ADVISED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THAT THE NOSEWHEEL APPEARED DAMAGED AND THAT THE RUNWAY WOULD LIKELY NEED TO BE CLOSED FOLLOWING LANDING.

THE FLIGHT CONTINUED IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHILE THE INSTRUCTOR EVALUATED AVAILABLE OPTIONS AND COORDINATED WITH GROUND PERSONNEL. A SECOND LOW APPROACH WAS CONDUCTED TO FURTHER ASSESS THE CONDITION OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR AND DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL EFFECT ON LANDING. THE INSTRUCTOR ELECTED TO PERFORM A LANDING ON A SEPARATE RUNWAY USING A SOFT-FIELD TECHNIQUE AND PLANNED TO SECURE THE ENGINE PRIOR TO NOSEWHEEL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE.

THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE CONDUCTED CONSISTENT WITH A SOFT-FIELD LANDING TECHNIQUE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, THE ENGINE WAS SECURED AND THE PROPELLER CAME TO A STOP WHILE THE NOSEWHEEL WAS HELD OFF THE RUNWAY USING AFT ELEVATOR PRESSURE. WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL EVENTUALLY CONTACTED THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY MAINTAINED A NORMAL LANDING ATTITUDE AND DECELERATED GRADUALLY. AS THE AIRPLANE SLOWED FURTHER, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE PITCHED FORWARD, RESULTING IN AN ABRUPT STOP. THE PROPELLER DID NOT CONTACT THE RUNWAY AND WAS NOT DAMAGED.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE AIRPLANE FOLLOWING THE LANDING. THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRPLANE WITHOUT INJURY.

SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION IDENTIFIED SEVERAL POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE, PRIMARILY INVOLVING THE DESIGN AND ASSEMBLY OF THE NOSE SPRING ASSEMBLY. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE ASSEMBLY PROCEDURE MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO VERIFY PROPER THREAD ENGAGEMENT AND RETAINING WASHER POSITIONING, CREATING THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE UPPER BOLT COULD GRADUALLY LOOSEN DURING REPEATED LANDING CYCLES. NEW REPLACEMENT URETHANE SPRINGS WERE ALSO FOUND TO BE SLIGHTLY TALLER THAN EARLIER VERSIONS, COMPLICATING INSTALLATION AND INCREASING THE RISK OF IMPROPER ASSEMBLY. IN ADDITION, THE DESIGN OF THE NOSE GEAR ALLOWS FOR COMPRESSION OF THE ASSEMBLY FOR IMPACT ABSORPTION WHICH CAN CAUSE THE RETAINING HARDWARE TO LOOSEN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR26LA178](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA178), Apr 25, 2026: Cessna 162 (N162HA), Everett, WA, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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