Cessna 170 accident near Spanaway, Washington, November 21, 1982
On November 21, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170, registered N2698V, was destroyed in an accident near Spanaway, Washington (Spanaway airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spanaway, Washington · Spanaway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N2698V · no longer on the register · serial 18208
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 75 TO 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT AHEAD TO LAND BEYOND A HIGHWAY. THERE WERE TRANSMISSION LINES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROADWAY. THE PILOT BELIEVED HE HAD INSUFFICIENT AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE TO SAFELY FLY OVER THE LINES. REPORTEDLY, THE TAIL CONTACTED A CABLE WHILE CROSSING UNDER THE FIRST SET OF WIRES (A TELEPHONE LINE). THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, THEN IT CAME TO REST IN A DITCH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY. AS THE OCCUPANTS EXITED THE AIRCRAFT, A SMALL FIRE DEVELOPED IN THE VICINITY OF THE ENGINE. WITHIN A SHORT TIME THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO BOTH TANKS.WATER WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK AND IN A LINE LEADING FROM THE RIGHT TANK. RUST WAS FOUND ON THE INSIDE TANGS OF THE RIGHT FUEL CAP, IN THE THREADS OF THE RIGHT QUICK DRAIN AND THE CARBURETOR. NO OTHER PREIMPACT PROBLEMS WERE EVIDENT.
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: 1,310 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,915 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S44 Spanaway WA at 10:28 am
- Destination: S44 Spanaway WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,700 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from TCM, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.