Cessna 177 accident near Hitchcock, Washington, June 24, 1990
On June 24, 1990 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 177, registered N13227, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hitchcock, Washington (St Hilaire 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'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING. SUNGLARE WAS A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1990 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hitchcock, Washington · St Hilaire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177 · all 177s on the register
- Registration
- N13227 · registry record · serial 17702404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA 177, N13227, STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT 'TWISTED' TO THE RIGHT AND NOSED DOWN WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH AS HE MADE AN ALIGNMENT ADJUSTMENT. IT COLLIDED WITH THE SURFACE AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN BOUNCED BEFORE STRIKING AN IRRIGATION DITCH AT ONE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 506 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1F6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0S6 Vancouver WA at 6:20 pm
- Destination: NONE St Hilaire WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,700 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from YKM, 26 miles away
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.