Cessna TU206G accident near Roche Harbor, Washington, July 11, 1990
On July 11, 1990 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna TU206G, registered N4953Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Roche Harbor, Washington (Spieden Isl. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER ENCOUNTERING UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS DURING FINAL APPROACH TO LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1990 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Roche Harbor, Washington · Spieden Isl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TU206G · all TU206Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4953Z · no longer on the register · serial U20606857
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA TU206G ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP ON SPIEDEN ISLAND. AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE RECOVERY ATTEMPT.
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: 187 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520RCM (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Spiden Island WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 1,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4953Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.