Piper PA18-150 accident near Enumclaw, Washington, September 22, 1990
On September 22, 1990 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA18-150, registered N3189Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Enumclaw, Washington (Bergseth Fld 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 PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL IN GUSTING WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1990 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Enumclaw, Washington · Bergseth Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18-150 · all PA18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3189Z · registry record · serial 18-7182
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON APPROACHING THE AIRPORT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE EAST AND IT WAS TURBULENT. THE PILOT CIRCLED THE RUNWAY TO DETERMINE WIND DIRECTION AND OBSERVED THAT THE TREES THAT LINE THE NORTH SIDE OF HE RUNWAY WERE MOVING INDICATING THE WIND WAS BLOWING DOWN THE RUNWAY FROM THE EAST. THE PILOT PREPARED FOR LANDING AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL, JUST AFTER PASSING THE LINE OF TREES, THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT CORRECTED AND THE AIRPLANE YAWED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKE ACTION; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 833 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 831 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S36 Kent WA at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:45 am
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.
Other NTSB records under N3189Z 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.