Cessna 172M accident near Bremerton, Washington, September 24, 1997
On September 24, 1997 at about 6:30 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6756H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bremerton, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude from the runway, and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the terrain. Factors contributing to the accident were dark night conditions, the pilot's improper decision to conduct the flight at night, his lack of recent experience in the type of operation (night flying), his lack of familiarity with the geographical area, the inoperative airport visual approach slope indicator, and the improper dispatch of the airplane by the operator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 1997 · about 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Bremerton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6756H · no longer on the register · serial 17265569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While visiting friends, the private pilot arrived at an unfamiliar airport and requested the authorization to rent airplanes from an operator. The pilot intended on flying his friends on a cross country night flight, but he did not inform the flight instructor who flew with him for the authorization. The instructor reviewed the pilot's logbook, but did not notice that it had been about 2 years since the pilot had logged any of his 3 hours of total night flying time. The operator's dispatcher subsequently allowed the pilot to rent the airplane for the flight, despite published night flying requirements which the pilot did not meet. During the return flight back to the airport, the pilot told controllers the he had difficulty locating the airport. During final approach, the airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a 3-foot-deep pond, about 1/2-mile short of the runway. The visual approach slope indicator (VASI) lighting for the runway was out of service for routine maintenance, and a Notice To Airmen (NOTAM) had been issued. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The front seat occupants, who were not wearing shoulder harnesses, drowned.
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: 132 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,519 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 15, 1997; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FHR Friday Harbor WA
- Destination: PWT WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from PWT, 1 miles away
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.
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.