Cessna 172N accident near Anacortes, Washington, May 15, 1988
On May 15, 1988 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4723J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anacortes, Washington (Skyline Seaplane 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 15, 1988 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anacortes, Washington · Skyline Seaplane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4723J · no longer on the register · serial 17273669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER OVERFLYING THE INTENDED SEAPLANE BASE LANDING AREA. THE PILOT, WHO HAD LOGGED ONLY 1 HOUR OF FIXED WING TIME IN THE PREVIOUS 90 DAYS, MISJUDGED THE NECESSARY DOWNWIND LEG LENGTH AND LANDED WITH INSUFFICIENT SURFACE DISTANCE AVAILABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE COLLIDING WITH A BREAKWATER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 382 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 212 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 4, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S60 Kenmore WA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: WA03 Anacortes WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.