Cessna 170 accident near Graham, Washington, July 19, 1997
On July 19, 1997 at about 1:09 am local time, a Cessna 170, registered N4292V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Graham, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate aircraft preflight by the pilot-in-command, and water contamination in the fuel resulting in a loss of engine power. A factor was a power transmission line in the forced landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1997 · about 1:09 am local time
- Place
- Graham, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170 · all 170s on the register
- Registration
- N4292V · registry record · serial 18650
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, approximately 9 minutes after takeoff, the engine RPM dropped to 800 RPM without a throttle reduction, and would not recover despite the pilot's efforts at corrective action. The pilot made a forced landing over power lines into a soft field. The aircraft's right main landing gear collapsed during the forced landing. The pilot reported that there were 20 gallons of fuel on board at takeoff. On-site and follow-up examinations revealed that the aircraft's left wing fuel tank was empty, that the right wing tank contained 11 to 12 gallons of fuel which was contaminated with about 3 pints of water, and that water was also present in the carburetor. The pilot reported that his preflight actions included checking oil and performing a sump drain.
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: 250 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,074 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cougar Mountain WA at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N4292V 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.