Cessna 172 accident near Bremerton, Washington, November 21, 1989
On November 21, 1989 at about 1:45 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N63496, was destroyed in an accident near Bremerton, Washington (Bremmerton airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION AND INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 1989 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Bremerton, Washington · Bremmerton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N63496 · registry record · serial 17275443
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLT IN IMC CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE DUAL STUDENT STATED IT WAS FUEL. ATC VECTORED THE ACFT FOR LDG AT THE NEAREST ARPT. THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES 1.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF BREMERTON ARPT. THERE WAS NO FUEL IN THE TANKS OR ODOR OF FUEL AT THE SITE. THE PILOT REPORTED IN AN INTERVIEW THAT THE ENGINE QUIT FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,478 hours in all; 94 in this make and model; 1,267 as pilot in command; 1,134 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,361 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 19, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Tech, INC
The flight
- Departed from: TIW Tacoma WA at 1:30 am
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from PWT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.