Cessna 207 accident near Center Island, Washington, September 30, 1988
On September 30, 1988 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 207, registered N1651U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Center Island, Washington (Center Island airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 30, 1988 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Center Island, Washington · Center Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N1651U · no longer on the register · serial 20700251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS LANDING UPSLOPE ON A ONE-WAY 1700 FT RWY IN WIND THAT WAS VARIABLE & CHANGING FROM CALM TO GUSTS FROM THE NORTH. THE PLT RPRTD A NORTHERLY GUST COND OCCURRED AS HE WAS LANDING. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT FLOATED BEYOND THE DESIRED TOUCHDOWN POINT & THE PLT DELAYED INITIATING A GO-AROUND UNTIL TOO LATE. HE CONTD THE LANDING, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT HIT TREES & BRUSH BEYOND THE END 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,327 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 147 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 2,172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,896 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 1988; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-F9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Decatur Island WA at 10:10 pm
- Runway 18, 1,700 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:15 pm
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.