Cessna 195 accident near Black Diamond, Washington, February 1, 1986
On February 1, 1986 at about 9:51 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N4339N, was destroyed in an accident near Black Diamond, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- February 1, 1986 · about 9:51 pm local time
- Place
- Black Diamond, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N4339N · no longer on the register · serial 7070
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RADAR TRACK SHOWS C195 PLT WAS DESCENDING INTO CONGESTED AIRSPACE AT ABOUT 192 MPH, ABOVE MAX STRUCTURAL CRUISE SPEED OF 178 MPH, LESS THAN 1 MIN FROM TRAFFIC PATTERN ENTRY. RADAR DATA AND WITNESS CONFIRM A SECOND ACFT IN PROXIMITY, ENGAGED IN AEROBATICS. WHILE MANEUVERING, C195 PLT EXCEEDED DESIGN LIMITS AND ACFT RT WING FAILED IN STRUCTURAL OVERLOAD.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 2,700 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,217 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 1986; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jacobs R-755-A2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: B01 Boise ID at 7:05 pm
- Destination: S36 Kent WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from SEA, 13 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.