Cessna 177RG accident near Kent, Washington, May 20, 1995
On May 20, 1995 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N9ER, was destroyed in an accident near Kent, Washington (Crest Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGMENT OF DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE DURING THE APPROACH. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DUSK LIGHT CONDITION AND THE SHADOWS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1995 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Kent, Washington · Crest Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9ER · registry record · serial 177RG1269
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN SOON AFTER SUNSET. HE EXTENDED HIS DOWNWIND IN ORDER TO PROVIDE SPACING WITH THE TWO AIRCRAFT PRECEDING HIM. HE THEN TURNED BASE FURTHER FROM THE RUNWAY THAN HE WOULD HAVE IF NO OTHER AIRCRAFT WERE IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE PATTERN. INSTEAD OF DELAYING HIS DESCENT WHILE IN THE EXTENDED PATTERN, HE BEGAN TO DESCEND AS HE TURNED BASE. THIS ULTIMATELY RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BECOMING LOWER THAN NORMAL ON FINAL. APPROXIMATELY 1760 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A TREE. AFTER IMPACTING THE TREE, THE AIRCRAFT'S FLIGHT PATH TURNED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. IT THEN FLEW APPROXIMATELY 220 FEET BEFORE IMPACTING THE ROOF OF A PRIVATE RESIDENCE.
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: 160 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,650 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1995; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S43 Snohomish WA at 4:00 am
- Destination: S36
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- 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 | 2 |
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 SEA95FA103.