Cessna 150 accident near Forks, Washington, August 9, 1982
On August 9, 1982 at about 5:45 am local time, a Cessna 150, registered N9368U, was destroyed in an accident near Forks, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1982 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Forks, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N9368U · no longer on the register · serial 15078317
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT, ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, BECAME LOST, DISORIENTED AND LOW ON FUEL. HE ESTABLISHED RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH SEATTLE CENTER AND WAS RADAR VECTORED TO FORKS, WA, AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS OR THE EMERGENCY LIGHTS FROM STATE POLICE VEHICLES. THE PILOT FINALLY DESCENDED INTO THE FOG AT 1700 FEET MSL, LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED.
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: student
- Flight time: 184 hours in all; 157 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,257 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S26 Ocean Shores WA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 135°F (57°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from HQM, 55 miles away
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.