Cessna 150-L accident near Gig Harbor, Washington, January 11, 1986
On January 11, 1986 at about 10:26 pm local time, a Cessna 150-L, registered N6989G, was destroyed in an accident near Gig Harbor, Washington (Tacoma Narrows airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- January 11, 1986 · about 10:26 pm local time
- Place
- Gig Harbor, Washington · Tacoma Narrows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150-L · all 150-Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6989G · no longer on the register · serial 15072489
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE IN AN EXTENDED TRAFFIC PATTERN DUE TO LANDING TRAFFIC. AN INADVERTENT STALL OCCURRED PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN. THE LEFT WING STRUCK A PILE OF DIRT WHICH SPUN THE AIRCRAFT AROUND. THE LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED UPHILL.
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: 687 hours in all; 168 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 642 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,133 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TIW Tacoma WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:31 pm from TIW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.