Cessna 172P accident near 2Nm E. Of Blyn, Washington, April 21, 1983
On April 21, 1983 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52363, was destroyed in an accident near 2Nm E. Of Blyn, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- April 21, 1983 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- 2Nm E. Of Blyn, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52363 · no longer on the register · serial 17274502
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS HAD RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FROM SEATTLE FSS EARLIER IN THE DAY FOR A FLT FROM SEATTLE TO PORT ANGELES. DUE TO THE TIME SPAN BETWEEN ARRIVAL & DEPARTURE AT PORT ANGELES, THE WX BRIEFING WAS NOT VALID FOR THE RETURN FLT. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE WEST SLOPE OF RAPIDLY RISING TERRAIN AT 1,780 FT MSL. THE GENERAL AREA IS UNPOPULATED & THERE ARE VIRTUALLYNO LIGHT SOURCES TO PROVIDE REFERENCE WHILE FLYING AT NIGHT. AN AIRLINE CAPTAIN REPORTED A SCATTERED TO BROKEN LAYER AT 1,800 FT MSL & AN OVERCAST LAYER AT 4,000 FT MSL. VFR TRAFFIC FROM PORT ANGELES TO SEATTLE NORMALLY FOLLOW A ROUTING WHICH DEPARTS PORT ANGELES EASTBOUND ALONG THE NORTH COASTAL AREA OF THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA. THE ROUTE THEN TURNS SE NEARDISCOVERY BAY & PROCEEDS INLAND OVER RELATIVLY LOW TERRAIN TOWARDS SEATTLE. UNDER FAVORABLE WX CONDITIONS TRAFFIC WILL ALSO PROCEED SE AT SEQUIM BAY (PRIOR TO DISCOVERY BAY). THE TERRAIN SOUTH OF SEQUIM BAY CLIMBS RAPIDLY AS THE NE CORNER OF THE OLYMPIC MOUNTAIN RANGE IS APPROACHED.
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: 115 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 77 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 16, 1982; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLM Port Angeles WA at 4:15 am
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,900 ft; not recorded at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from PAE, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.