Cessna 206 accident near Pullman, Washington, November 18, 1990
On November 18, 1990 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 206, registered N5184U, was destroyed in an accident near Pullman, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DISPLAYED INADEQUATE INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER WAS OBSCURED, THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION, AND A PROPER ALTITUDE NOT MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1990 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pullman, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N5184U · registry record · serial 2060184
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ADVISED ATC THAT HE COULD NOT FIND THE AIRPORT DUE TO CLOUDS. ATC ADVISED THE PILOT OF THE LOCATION OF THE AIRPORT AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE SAW A CLEAR AREA NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT WAS LAST RADAR IDENTIFIED DESCENDING IN THE AREA THE PILOT REPORTED AS A CLEAR AREA. DURING THE ON SCENE INVESTIGATION, THE AIRPLANE'S WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION PATH INDICATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS HEADING IN THE DIRECTION OF THE AIRPORT AND IN CONTROLLED FLIGHT. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS NOTED.
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: 353 hours in all; 18 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 312 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: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Climbing Out INC.
The flight
- Departed from: YKM Yakima WA at 12:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Observation at 2:45 pm from PUW, 4 miles away
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.