Cessna 185E accident near Tacoma, Washington, May 18, 2009
On May 18, 2009 at about 3:47 pm local time, a Cessna 185E, registered N70083, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tacoma, Washington (Tacoma Narrows airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 2009 · about 3:47 pm local time
- Place
- Tacoma, Washington · Tacoma Narrows · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185E · all 185Es on the register
- Registration
- N70083 · registry record · serial 18501950
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after performing a wheel landing on Runway 17, the tailwheel-equipped airplane initially tracked straight along the runway centerline. During the landing roll, the airplane started to veer to the right. Despite his control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right and ground looped. The airplane came to rest in a nose-low attitude on the right side of the runway. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that both wings were structurally damaged. The weather reporting station located at the airport reported wind from 220 degrees at 8 knots six minutes after the time of the accident. The pilot reported no anomalies with the airplane's flight control system prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,028 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 10,860 as pilot in command; 1,485 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,663 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 2008; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Rainier, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: CLM Port Angeles WA at 3:05 pm
- Destination: TIW Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Observation at 3:53 pm from TIW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N70083 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.