Cessna 180R accident near Seattle, Washington, October 15, 1995
On October 15, 1995 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Cessna 180R, registered N3698C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington (King County Intnl Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the landing roll. A factor in the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1995 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · King County Intnl Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180R · all 180Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3698C · registry record · serial 31197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the approach to landing was normal with correction inputs to maintain runway centerline due to the crosswind. ATIS was reporting the winds from 170 degrees at 8 knots. The pilot stated that approximately 100 feet AGL, the airplane's vertical speed indicator went full scale down. He immediately applied full power, but a high sink rate began. The pilot stated the airplane touched down on the runway with full aileron and full rudder correction to stop the drift. The left wing impacted the runway before the airplane came to rest.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,384 hours in all; 2,900 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 15,221 as pilot in command; 1,772 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1995; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA10 Camas WA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: BFI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 13R, 10,001 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:24 pm from BFI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.