Cessna 172 accident near Gleneden Beach, Oregon, September 23, 1983
On September 23, 1983 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N737YD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gleneden Beach, Oregon (Siletz Bay State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- September 23, 1983 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Gleneden Beach, Oregon · Siletz Bay State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N737YD · no longer on the register · serial 172-69770
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE ARRIVED AT AN UNLIGHTED ARPT ON A DARK NIGHT. AFTER MAKING 2 PASSES OVER THE ARPT TO IDENTIFY THE RWY & LANDMARKS, HE MADE AN APCH TO LAND. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH APRX 1/3 OF THE 3000 FT RWY REMAINING. THE PLT INITIATED A MISSED APCH, BUT REPORTED THAT THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK TREES BEYOND THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON A GOLF COURSE WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 313 hours in all; 252 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTD Troutdale OR at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.