- Date
- September 27, 1985, 15:10 local (22:10 UTC)
- Place
- San Juan Island, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9644HCessna 185
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850927067609A
- Case key
- 40250
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was attempting to depart his private airstrip to the north with trees bordering the north end of the airstrip. The wind was from 360 at 20 knots gusting to 30 knots. The pilot was unable to arrest his rate of sink and made a right turn to avoid trees. The aircraft struck a rockpile separating the eninge from the aircraft and starting a small brush fire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9644H
- Reported as
- Cessna 185
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18503457
- Airframe hours
- 2,265
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-D, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Great Western Drilling
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 17, 1985
- Departed
- San Juan Isl, WA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,250 total · 2,265 in this make and model · 230 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.