Cessna 205 accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon, December 27, 1988
On December 27, 1988 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Cessna 205, registered N8403Z, was destroyed in an accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon. 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 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
- December 27, 1988 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 205
- Registration
- N8403Z · no longer on the register · serial 205-0403
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT TOOK OFF ON A SOLO FLIGHT FROM AN UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT AT COTTAGE GROVE IN MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HE TRANSMITTED TO EUGENE TOWER (WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 15 MILES NORTH) THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED 'WHITE-OUT' CONDITIONS. SUBSEQUENTLY, APPROACH CONTROL IDENTIFIED THE AIRCRAFT'S POSITION ON RADAR AND ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR THE AIRCRAFT TO EUGENE AIRPORT. HOWEVER, THE STUDENT WAS UNABLE TO HOLD A HEADING OR ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT AND CRASHED. THE 1450 PST WEATHER AT EUGENE WAS: 2000 FT SCATTERED, 4000 FT OVERCAST WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY. A PILOT WITNESS ESTIMATED THE WEATHER AT COTTAGE GROVE WAS: 800 FT BROKEN CEILING, VISIBILITY ONE MILE WITH RAIN AND 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: student
- Flight time: 128 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1988; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EUG Eugene OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- 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.