- Date
- February 13, 1988, 19:30 local (Feb 14, 1988, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Stevens Pass, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6642ECessna 175
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 30, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880213002469A
- Case key
- 40780
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
Planned flt was VFR transit of cascade mountains in daylight. Plt filed VFR flt plan; wx brief indicated VFR. Unforeseen delays resulted in arrival at planned mountain Pass over one hour late and wx no longer VMC. Plt could see alternate Pass to north appeared better and amended flt plan via Stevens Pass despite fss advisory of vnr under clouds through cascades. Flt arrived at Stevens Pass after dark; however, lights for night skiing illuminated Pass and flt proceeded. After beginning descent along highway after Pass transit, plt said he encountered IMC and lost visual reference with known high terrain on both sides. Plt initiated climb but mushed into trees on rising terrain ahead.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6642E
- Reported as
- Cessna 175
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 56142
- Airframe hours
- 2,040
- Engine
- Continental GO-300A, 175 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bruce W. Fairchild
- Registered owner
- Bruce W Fairchild
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- YAK · Yakima, WA
- Destination
- S43 · Snohomish, WA
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 750 total · 700 in this make and model · 720 as pilot in command · 5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Temperature
- 25 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.