Commonwealth 185 accident near Toledo, Washington, July 12, 1991
On July 12, 1991 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Commonwealth 185, registered N90683, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toledo, Washington (Toledo airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1991 · about 8:30 pm local time · cases in 1991
- Place
- Toledo, Washington · Toledo · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Commonwealth 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N90683 · registry record · serial 1778
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A HAY BALE IN A RECENTLY CUT FIELD.
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: 386 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 357 as pilot in command
- 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: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N90683 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Commonwealth 185 62 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Commonwealth 87 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 82 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- ED Carlson Memorial Fld/South Lewis County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,580 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA91LA173.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.