# NTSB SEA91FA061: Cessna 172M, Bellingham, WA, March 6, 1991

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: March 5, 1991, 19:31 local (Mar 6, 1991, 03:31 UTC)
- Place: Bellingham, WA
- Coordinates: 48.730377, -122.479095 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.7304&lon=-122.4791&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed, report June 16, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 41307
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA91FA061
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41307/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA91FA061

## Probable cause

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND/OR CLEAREANCE FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE:  DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - snow (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, cruise
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

THE ACFT WAS 1 OF 5 THAT WERE ON A RETURN TRIP FROM LOS ANGELES, CA, TO ABBOTSFORD, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA.  THE FLT CREWS HAD OBTAINED WX INFO DURING STOPS AT CRESENT CITY, CA, & NEWPORT, OR.  AFTER LNDG AT EVERETT, WA, ONE OF THE FLT CREWS FILED A FLT PLAN FOR ALL 5 ACFT.  AT THAT TIME, HE WAS ASKED IF HE WANTED A WX BRIEFING, BUT HE INDCD THEY HAD ALREADY RCVD A BRIEF FOR THE ROUTE.  RPRTDLY, THE PLTS ALSO OBTAINED WX INFO FROM A COMPUTER IN THE LOBBY OF AN FBO AT EVERETT.  AFTER DEPG EVERETT ON A NGT FLT TO ABBOTSFORD, THE FLTS ENCTRD DETERIORATING WX WITH SNOW & CLOUDS.  THE FLT CREWS OF 2 ACFT REVERSED COURSE & LNDD AT AN ALTERNATE ARPT.  THE CREW OF A 3RD ACFT DIVERTED, WENT OVER WATER, THEN CONTD EN ROUTE.  HOWEVER, THE 2 REMAINING ACFT (C-GJNM & C-GIXI) COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TRRN ABT 3 MI APART.  C-GJNM IMPACTED ON WOODED TRRN AT AN ELEV OF ABT 2100'.  ABT 11 MI NW AT BELLINGHAM, WA (ELEV 158'), THE 1950 WX WAS IN PART: 2100' BKN, 10 MI VIS WITH RAIN, WIND FM 240 DEG AT 6 KTS.  THE WRECKAGE WAS FND THE NEXT DAY CVRD WITH SNOW.

## Aircraft

- Registration: CGJNM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 17273478
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-D2AJ 160 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Trinity Western University
- Departed: PAE, EVERETT, WA
- Destination: CYXX, ABBOTSFORD,BC
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 24; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; toxicology performed; flight hours: 1,214 total, 896 in this make and model, 993 as pilot in command, 49 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 240° at 6 knots
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BLI, 11 nm away

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.

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