No fatalities

Cessna 182L Overruns Runway in Metaline Falls

Metaline Falls, WA, United States

On September 2, 2012, a CESSNA 182L operated by Jeff Gorman was involved in an aviation accident near Metaline Falls, WA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to adequately compensate for a sudden shift from a headwind to a tailwind during the landing roll, leading to a runway overrun. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A single-engine aircraft exited the runway and descended an embankment following a sudden wind shift during the landing roll.

What happened

On September 2, 2012, a Cessna 182L, registration N42014, was performing a landing at Metaline Falls, WA. During the landing roll, the aircraft encountered a sudden wind shift, transitioning from a headwind to a tailwind. This change in wind direction pushed the aircraft beyond the end of the runway and down a 50-foot embankment. The accident resulted in 2 minor injuries and 0 fatalities.

The investigation

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies prior to the accident that would have impacted the normal operation of the aircraft. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to its control surfaces and fuselage.

Probable cause

The pilot failed to adequately compensate for a sudden shift from a headwind to a tailwind during the landing roll, leading to a runway overrun.

Contributing factors

PilotAbility to respond/compensate