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Accidents · NTSB SEA91LA173 · Final report

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).

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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged

DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
July 12, 1991 · about 8:30 pm local time
Place
Toledo, Washington · Toledo · 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

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Crew1
Passengers1

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.

About this page

Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA91LA173.