Cessna 172A accident near Renton, Washington, December 11, 1982
On December 11, 1982 at about 9:59 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N9846T, was destroyed in an accident near Renton, Washington (Renton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1982 · about 9:59 pm local time
- Place
- Renton, Washington · Renton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N9846T · no longer on the register · serial 47646
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE ACFT THEN EXECUTED A LEFT DESCENDING 180 DEG TURN & CRASHED ON THE FLIGHTLINE OF AN ACFT COMPANY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL FILTER BOWL CONTAINED ABOUT 1/2 FUEL & 1/2 WATER, AND THE CARBURETOR CONTAINED WATER ONLY.
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: 450 hours in all; 422 in this make and model; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,391 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA at 1:59 pm
- Destination: RNT Renton WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,480 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 117°F (47°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.