Taylorcraft F-19 accident near Darrington, Washington, July 15, 1990
On July 15, 1990 at about 1:25 am local time, a Taylorcraft F-19, registered CGIEK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Darrington, Washington (Darrington 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
THE INFLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENT DOWNDRAFT WINDS THAT RESULTED IN A VERTICAL DESCENT FROM WHICH THE PILOT COULD NOT RECOVER WITH FULL POWER APPLIED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1990 · about 1:25 am local time
- Place
- Darrington, Washington · Darrington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylorcraft F-19
- Registration
- CGIEK · no longer on the register · serial F-056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFT WINDS ON FINAL APPROACH AT A LOW ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED DESCENT AND IMPACTED A TREE AND THE GROUND SHORT OF THE LANDING RWY.
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: 1,736 hours in all; 1,615 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,625 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,497 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 14, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S55 Arlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,350 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.