Cessna 182P accident near Lopez, Washington, September 16, 1992
On September 16, 1992 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N21538, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lopez, Washington (Lopez Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAIURE TO OBTAIN PROPER ASSISTANCE AND TO PROPERLY SET THE THROTTLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1992 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lopez, Washington · Lopez Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N21538 · registry record · serial 18261699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE ACFT FAILED TO START BY USE OF THE STARTER, THE PILOT SET THE THROTTLE, EXITED THE ACFT AND ROTATED THE PROPELLER BY HAND TO START THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE REVVED TO A HIGH RPM WHEN IT STARTED. THE ACFT BROKE THE TIE DOWN ROPE ATTACHED TO THE TAIL, ACCELERATED ACROSS THE RAMP AND IMPACTED A TREE. THE PASSENGER DID NOT KNOW HOW TO STOP THE ACFT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,458 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,389 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,177 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 30, 1991; 132 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from NUW, 15 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.
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 SEA92LA205.