Cessna 172M accident near Shaw Island, Washington, April 22, 1992
On April 22, 1992 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N64156, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shaw Island, Washington (Shaw Island Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A DELAYED GO-AROUND, AND PROCEDURES NOT BEING FOLLOWED. FACTORS INCLUDE A LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, TREES NEAR THE RUNWAY, AND AN UPHILL RUNWAY SLOPE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 1992 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Shaw Island, Washington · Shaw Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N64156 · no longer on the register · serial 17265051
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CHARTERED CESSNA 172 IMPACTED A STAND OF OLD-GROWTH TIMBER WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND AT A PRIVATE, RESTRICTED AIRPORT. THE RUNWAY, WHICH HAS A STEEP UPSLOPE TO THE NORTH, IS SURROUNDED BY A DENSE OLD-GROWTH FOREST. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH WAS FOUND WITH THE FLAPS IN THE 30 TO 40 DEGREE RANGE, AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT IN THE ON (HOT) POSITION, WAS ATTEMPTING THE GO-AROUND TO THE NORTH. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT DURING THE GO-AROUND ATTEMPT, THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE PRODUCING FULL POWER, AND THE FLAPS APPEARED TO BE IN THE FULL DOWN POSITION. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE PILOT STARTED THE GO-AROUND 'WELL DOWN THE RUNWAY.'
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 528 hours in all; 69 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 428 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,142 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLI Bellingham WA at 11:09 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 1,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- 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.
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.