# Accident 19970119047239A: Cessna 180J, Lopezisland, ES, January 19, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 19, 1997, 21:00 local time
- Place: Lopezisland, ES
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 48.4894° N, 122.8706° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.4894&lon=-122.8706&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42376, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N42376) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 180J (registry code 2072622, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA97LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970119047239A

## Narrative

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

(-16) AT NIGHT, RAIN FOG & LOW CLOUDS, AIRPLANE T.O FROM DECATUR, ISLAND IN FOG O/A 200' ALTITUDE, DESTINATION, MONROE TO THE S.E. CESSNA HIT TREES ON CENTER ISLAND TO THE S.W. OF DECATUR. WINDSHIELD BROKEN, ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER AIRCRAFT HIT TREES. THE AIRCRAFT COULDN'T MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, WENT INTO THE WATER & SUNK. THE PILOT LEFT THE AIRPLANE THROUGH HIS DOOR & SUNK. THE PILOT LEFT THE AIRPLANE THROUGH HIS DOOR & HIS COMPANION GOT OUT WITH A MAG LITE IN HAND AND EXITED THROUGH HER WINDOW. A MAN ON CENTER ISLAND HEARD THE CRASH AND ALONE WITH (2) OTHER MEN RESCUED THE PILOT & PAX VIA BOAT AFTER SPOTTING THE FLASHLIGHT BEAM FROM THE WATER. THE PEOPLE WERE IN THE WATER O/A 13 MINUTES WITHOUT LIFE PRESERVERS. MINOR INJURIES-PASSENGER-NO INJURIES-PILOT.

## 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 SEA97LA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA97LA050), Jan 20, 1997: Cessna 180J (N42376), Lopez, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to initiate flight into marginal VFR conditions at night which led to inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate…

## Other reports on N42376 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19840325026909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840325026909I), Mar 25, 1984: Cessna 180 (N42376), Horseshoe Pond, ME, Minor damage. Landed on a snow covered frozen lake. Right ski broke the snow crust into a layer of slush.

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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