20250922019419A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Anacortes, WA · September 22, 2025

Date: September 22, 2025 · 11:50 local
Place: Anacortes, WA
Airport: Anacortes
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6831A
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR25LA307
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 28,113 total

N6831ARegistered now · Cessna 172S/N 28931 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On Monday, September 22nd, PIC was planning to fly from Anacortes Airport (74S) to Friday harbor airport (kfhr) in his 1956 Cessna 172, N6831A. PIC took off on runway 36 to the north. On climb out, PIC felt like he might not have been getting full performance. Just past the shoreline, at approximately 400 feet the engine sputtered and died. PIC lowered the nose to stay at best glide of 80. After looking for potential landing spot, PIC realized he was going to have to aim for the water. PIC flared just above the water and the main wheels touched and grabbed the water causing violent impact and instantly was pointed nose-down in the sea. PIC then grabbed his lifejacket, forced the door open and exited the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND, PIC WAS PLANNING TO FLY FROM ANACORTES AIRPORT (74S) TO FRIDAY HARBOR AIRPORT (KFHR) IN HIS 1956 CESSNA 172, N6831A. PIC TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 36 TO THE NORTH. ON CLIMB OUT, PIC FELT LIKE HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN GETTING FULL PERFORMANCE. JUST PAST THE SHORELINE, AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND DIED. PIC LOWERED THE NOSE TO STAY AT BEST GLIDE OF 80. AFTER LOOKING FOR POTENTIAL LANDING SPOT, PIC REALIZED HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO AIM FOR THE WATER. PIC FLARED JUST ABOVE THE WATER AND THE MAIN WHEELS TOUCHED AND GRABBED THE WATER CAUSING VIOLENT IMPACT AND INSTANTLY WAS POINTED NOSE-DOWN IN THE SEA. PIC THEN GRABBED HIS LIFEJACKET, FORCED THE DOOR OPEN AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR25LA307Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary reportAnacortes, WAOn September 22, 2025, about 1157 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6831A, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Anacortes, Washington. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal…Sep 22, 2025 · Substantial damage