Cessna 182N accident near Anacortes, Washington, April 16, 1993
On April 16, 1993 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182N, registered N71131, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anacortes, Washington (Decatur Shores 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
THE LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PIC WHEN HE SELECTED THE WRONG RUNWAY, FAILED TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE ACFT ATTEMPTING TO ABORT THE LANDING, AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AFTER THE AIRCRAFT MUSHED BACK ONTO THE STRIP. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1993 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Anacortes, Washington · Decatur Shores · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182N · all 182Ns on the register
- Registration
- N71131 · no longer on the register · serial 18259506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A SHORT GRAVEL AIRSTRIP IN STRONG TAILWIND WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE CENTER OF THE STRIP, BOUNCED TWICE, AND THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, MUSHED BACK ONTO THE GROUND, VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTED A DITCH AND A PARKED CAR BESIDE THE STRIP.
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: 213 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,965 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1992; 101 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 10:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,550 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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 N71131 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.