# NTSB WPR25LA172: Boeing B75N1, N6848, Spokane Valley, WA, June 15, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 15, 2025, 14:19 local (21:19 UTC) - Place: Spokane Valley, WA - Coordinates: 47.607246, -117.17642 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.6072&lon=-117.1764&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report October 2, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA Spokane FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200325 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200325/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200325 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA172 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a takeoff roll in quartering tailwind conditions. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md) ## Analysis 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. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6848](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N6848), registered now, S/N 75-6848, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BOEING B75N1 - Registry model: [Boeing B75N1](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-b75n1) (registry code 1380144) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 75-6848 - Year built: 1942 - Airframe hours: 5172.8 - Engines: Continental W-670-6N 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 20, 2025 - Destination: SFF, Spokane, WA - Airport: WN92, Sky Meadows Airpark, runway 16, 3,100 × 100 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 18, 2025; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,913.6 total, 212.7 in this make and model, 1,719.2 as pilot in command, 51 in the last 90 days, 20.8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 30 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: KSFF, 7 nm away - METAR: KSFF 152153Z COR 18007KT 10SM CLR 28/M01 A3003 RMK AO2 SLP160 T02781006 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250615007499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250615007499A), Jun 15, 2025: Boeing B75N1, Spokane, WA, Substantial damage. Pilot attempted to take off from runway 16. After accelorating down the runway approxanatly 1000 feet the aircraft could not lift off due inpart to density of… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200325. 4.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 313 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19288895&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19289156&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - Video file 2 (item 3, MOV, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19289230&FileExtension=mov&FileName=WPR25LA172-2%20Video-Rel.mov 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.