Cessna 170B accident near Roche Harbor, Washington, July 13, 1986
On July 13, 1986 at about 11:28 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered CFILT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roche Harbor, Washington (Roche Harbor airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- July 13, 1986 · about 11:28 pm local time
- Place
- Roche Harbor, Washington · Roche Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- CFILT · no longer on the register · serial 27061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING ROLLOUT WITH A CROSSWIND. THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AT WHICH TIME THE PLT APPLIED FULL AFT ELEVATOR, FULL RIGHT RUDDER AND FULL RIGHT AILERON. THE PLT REPORTED THE ACFT MADE NO RESPONSE TO THE CONTROL INPUTS SO FULL POWER WAS ADDED AND FLAPS WERE RETRACTED TO ZERO. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS REGAINED; HOWEVER, IT HAD ALREADY CONTACTED BUSHES ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RWY.
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: 401 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 314 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,170 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 23, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 75S Burlington WA at 11:10 pm
- Destination: 9S1 Roche Harbor WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.