Cessna 172M accident near Sequim, Washington, November 19, 1987
On November 19, 1987 at about 5:42 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N70334, was destroyed in an accident near Sequim, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- November 19, 1987 · about 5:42 am local time
- Place
- Sequim, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N70334 · no longer on the register · serial 17267201
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DARK NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT ABOUT 2,000 FEET MSL. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT HAD REQUESTED VFR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES, HE DID NOT SOLICIT THE USE OF THE LOW ALTITUDE ALERT SYSTEM. THIS SYSTEM WAS DESIGNED AS A CONTROLLER AID IN DETECTING POTENTIALLY UNSAFE AIRCRAFT PROXIMITY TO TERRAIN OR OBSTRUCTIONS AND WAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME FOR VFR FLTS IF REQUESTED. THE PLT REFUSED TO SUBMIT ANY WRITTEN STATEMENTS CONCERNING THE ACCIDENT.
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: 320 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S19 Friday Harbor WA at 5:18 am
- Destination: RTN Renton WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 am from NUW, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N70334 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.