Cessna 150E accident near Issaquah, Washington, July 21, 1983
On July 21, 1983 at about 9:20 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N6272T, was destroyed in an accident near Issaquah, Washington (Seattle Skyport airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 21, 1983 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Issaquah, Washington · Seattle Skyport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N6272T · registry record · serial 15060972
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF ON A GLIDER TOWING OPERATION, THE ENG LOST POWER AT APRX 200 TO 250 FT AGL. THE GLIDER PLT DISENGAGED FROM THE TOW PLANE & THE TOW PLT COMMENCED A POWER OFF DESCENT TO LAND ON A ROAD. THERE WAS CONFLICTING TRAFFIC ON THE ROAD. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE PLT REALIZED THAT THE TRAFFIC WOULD BE UNAVOIDABLE, ENG POWER WAS REGAINED. HE STARTED TO CLIMB BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT, THEN THE ENG LOST POWER AGAIN. HE LANDED IN A GRASSY AREA, BUT DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE, THE LEFT WING HIT A FENCE THAT WAS HIDDEN BY TALL VEGETATION. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 282 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 222 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,030 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3WA1 Issaquah WA at 9:18 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from RNT, 7 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.