Cessna 140 accident near College Place, Washington, August 26, 1983
On August 26, 1983 at about 10:33 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N90037, was destroyed in an accident near College Place, Washington (Martin Field). 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
- August 26, 1983 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- College Place, Washington · Martin Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N90037 · registry record · serial 9095
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINE POLES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT REPORTED A POWER LOSS DURING TAKEOFF AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS SPUTTERING DURING TAKEOFF AND QUIT DURING CLIMB OUT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE ACFT TANKS CONTAINED ABOUT 4 GALLONS. ABOUT 1 GALLON IN THE LEFT AND 3 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK. THE PILOT SAID THE FUEL GAUGES READ 'LEFT TANK ABOUT 1/4 AND THE RIGHT TANK EMPTY DURING PREFLT.
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: 352 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 346 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,332 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12-F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.