Cessna 180 accident near Friday Harbor, Washington, March 29, 1991
On March 29, 1991, a Cessna 180, registered N2601Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friday Harbor, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB GRADIENT AND RATE AS A RESULT OF HIS INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1991
- Place
- Friday Harbor, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N2601Y · no longer on the register · serial 18051101
- 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 180 FLOATPLANE STATED THAT HE MADE A POWER REDUCTION AFTER TAKEOFF FOR NOISE ABATEMENT REASONS, AFTER CLIMBING TO ABOUT 40 FEET. HE CONTINUED TO CLIMB TO ABOUT 50 FEET AFTER TURNING CROSSWIND. HE STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNED EAST (DOWNWIND) TO FLY THROUGH THE CHANNEL, HE ADDED FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SLIP TOWARDS THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE CHANNEL AND IT ENDED UP CRASHING INTO THE TREES ABOUT FIFTY FEET FROM SHORE.
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 sea
- Flight time: 1,676 hours in all; 1,676 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,820 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Lake Washington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:58 pm from FHR, 2 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.
Other NTSB records under N2601Y 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.