North American NAVION H accident near Enumclaw, Washington, April 2, 1990
On April 2, 1990 at about 8:37 pm local time, a North American NAVION H, registered N285RM, was destroyed in an accident near Enumclaw, 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
PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, AND INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE LOW CEILING AND VISIBILITY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE MOUNTAINOUS/HILL TERRAIN, THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT QUALIFICATION AND HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1990 · about 8:37 pm local time
- Place
- Enumclaw, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION H
- Registration
- N285RM · registry record · serial NAV-4-89
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVING IN LOW CEILING AND FOG WEATHER CONDITIONS. THERE WAS NO FLT PLAN FILED AND THE PILOT WAS NOT RATED FOR INSTRUMENT FLT.
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
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1989; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,315 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 061 Cameron Park CA at 4:51 pm
- Destination: S50 Auburn WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from SEA, 25 miles away
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.