Cessna A185F accident near N.W. of Copalis, Washington, May 9, 1982
On May 9, 1982 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N5045R, was substantially damaged in an accident near N.W. of Copalis, Washington (Copalis State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1982 · about 2:30 pm local time · cases in 1982
- Place
- N.W. of Copalis, Washington · Copalis State · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5045R · registry record · serial 18502987
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PILOT APPLIED BRAKES AND THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE RUNWAY SURFACE IS CHARACTERIZED AS HARD/DAMP SAND DUE TO ITS PROXIMITY TO THE OCEAN AND IS PERIODICALLY SUBMERGED DURING HIGH TIDE CONDITIONS.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 480 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 14S Westport WA at 7:20 am
- Destination: S16 Copalis Bch WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 120°F (49°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from HQM, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N5045R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5045R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna A185 Skywagon 1,372 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D 95 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Copalis State Airport · nearest airport
- Westport Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,633 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N5045R 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA82DA067.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.