Cessna 180H accident near Roche Harbor, Washington, August 25, 2000
On August 25, 2000 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 180H, registered N91464, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roche Harbor, Washington (Roche Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for wind conditions during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2000 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Roche Harbor, Washington · Roche Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180H · all 180Hs on the register
- Registration
- N91464 · registry record · serial 18052091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a telephone conversation, the pilot stated that shortly after touchdown (wheel landing), the aircraft drifted to the right (south) of runway centerline. The pilot applied brakes and corrective actions, however, the aircraft continued off the runway and down an embankment that parallels the runway. During the accident sequence, the aircraft's main gear separated from the airframe resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A FAA inspector from the Seattle, Washington, Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), visually inspected the aircraft after the accident and reported that there was no evidence found to indicate a brake failure or malfunction. Shortly after the accident, a Sheriff's Deputy from the San Juan County Sheriff's Office reported that the winds at Roche Harbor were blowing across the runway at a 30-40 degree angle and estimated that the wind speed was 10-15 knots. He also stated that the winds favored runway 24 (report attached). The 1553 METAR observation taken at Friday Harbor, Washington (6 miles southeast of the accident site), reported winds from 230 degrees true at 7 knots.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 9S1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 4,180 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from FHR, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.