Cessna TU206C accident near Skykomish, Washington, September 2, 1989
On September 2, 1989 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna TU206C, registered N21NW, was destroyed in an accident near Skykomish, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT INTO IMC. THE PILOT DID NOT ADEQUATELY PLAN AND PREPARE FOR THE FLIGHT AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ABOVE THE TERRAIN FOR VMC. FOG WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1989 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Skykomish, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206C · all TU206Cs on the register
- Registration
- N21NW · no longer on the register · serial U206-1231
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WHILE MANEUVERING IN A VALLEY THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN OBSERVED FLYING THROUGH THE PASS FOLLOWING THE ROAD AT APRX 50 AGL AND JUST UNDER A LAYER OF FOG. THE AIRPLANE DOVE DOWN INTO A VALLEY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE PASS THAT WAS CLEAR FOR APRX 4 MILES THEN BECAME OBSCURED AGAIN SO THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT POSSIBLE. THE AIRPLANE HAD REVERSED COURSE AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN APRX 100 FEET BELOW THE AREA WHERE ENTRY WAS FIRST MADE. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT ALL AREAS AROUND AND ABOVE THE VALLEY WAS OBSCURED BY FOG.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,011 hours in all; 311 in the last 90 days; 102 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Chelan WA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 560 Kenmore WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft; ovct at 100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.