Cessna 182P accident near Darrington, Washington, March 12, 1996
On March 12, 1996 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N41MG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Darrington, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a ditching of the airplane for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1996 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Darrington, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N41MG · registry record · serial 18262761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he heard a 'significant bang' and a 'clunky metallic sound' while cruising VFR above mountains and a broken cloud deck at 9,500 feet above mean sea level. He reported to ATC that the engine then 'quit.' He stated that he initiated an emergency descent through clouds, broke out of the clouds about 400 feet above the ground, and ditched the airplane in a shallow river because of unsuitable mountainous terrain surrounding the river. The airplane flipped over during the ditching and was substantially damaged. A detailed examination of the engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or deficiencies. No evidence was found to support fuel exhaustion or carburetor icing. About 2-1/2 months after the accident, the pilot was involved in another presumed ditching in which he reported to ATC that the engine had quit while cruising VFR on a personal flight. The airplane was not found. The pilot disappeared after the presumed ditching, and later turned himself in to local authorities. He has since plead guilty to charges of False Distress Signals and Mail Fraud.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,950 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,467 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1995; 149 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R-25A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 pm from PAE, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.