Cessna 140 accident near Amboy, Washington, November 18, 1989
On November 18, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N2070V, was destroyed in an accident near Amboy, Washington (Sutton airport). It was a personal 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
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Amboy, Washington · Sutton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N2070V · no longer on the register · serial 14283
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST TAKEN OFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP AND WAS CLIMBING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRSTRIP AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES 1/4 MILE WEST OF THE RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION FAILED TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF ENGINE QUITING. ICING CHARTS INDICATE MODERATE PROBABILITY OF CARB ICING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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: 8,000 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,983 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WA79 Amboy WA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: WA79
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from PDX, 22 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.