Cessna TU206 accident near Anacortes, Washington, March 18, 1989
On March 18, 1989 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Cessna TU206, registered N7551Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anacortes, Washington (Brigantine Bay airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION DURING THE LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN IMPROPER FLARE & HARD LANDING. HIS LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE 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
- March 18, 1989 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Anacortes, Washington · Brigantine Bay · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206 · all TU206s on the register
- Registration
- N7551Z · registry record · serial 6365
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON HIS 1ST FLT IN 90 DAYS. HE STATED THAT WHILE ON AN APCH FOR A WATER LNDG, HE WAS FOCUSING ON THE BEACH TO GUAGE HIS DISTANCE FROM THE SHORE, WHEN THE FLOATPLANE HIT THE WATER BEFORE HE HAD EXPECTED. THE FLOATPLANE THEN BOUNCED HIGH & CONTACTED THE WATER AGAIN. ON THE 2ND TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT FLOAT BUCKLED, THEN THE PLANE NOSED OVER.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 384 hours in all; 318 in this make and model; 336 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1988; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,616 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA47 Renton WA at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.