Cessna 172 accident near Stewart Island, Washington, May 25, 1984
On May 25, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4180F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stewart Island, Washington (Stuart West 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
- May 25, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stewart Island, Washington · Stuart West · 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
- N4180F · registry record · serial 46080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LANDED TO THE WEST ON A WET GRASS STRIP WITH 1/4 INCH OF STANDING WATER. HE SAID HE HAD NO TRACTION & THE ACFT SLID OFF THE END BETWEEN 2 TREES, DAMAGING BOTH WINGS. HE ALSO SAID THE WIND WAS 090 DEG AT 5 KTS GUSTING 15 KTS.
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: 340 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 295 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 74S Anacortes WA at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,700 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:15 pm
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA84LA116.