Cessna 152 accident near Friday Harbor, Washington, September 27, 2004
On September 27, 2004 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N757RD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friday Harbor, Washington. It was a business 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 delay in executing an aborted landing and his failure to obtain altitude/clearance from trees during the aborted landing. A factor was the pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point as a result of his high airspeed on approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2004 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Friday Harbor, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N757RD · registry record · serial 15279936
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the winds were calm, and he decided to land to the southeast on the 1,500-foot-long grass airstrip. He reported that he touched down approximately mid-field and "applied brakes lightly." About three-quarters of the way down the runway, he "decided to abort the landing due to high ground speed." He lifted off just prior to the end of the runway. However, "the climb was insufficient" to clear trees ahead so he turned left towards an open field. The airplane impacted trees on the edge of the field and came to rest nose down suspended in the trees. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by "slower approach speed and earlier touch down.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 380 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 330 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUS Burlington WA at 10:25 pm
- Destination: Friday Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.