Commonwealth 185 accident near Burlington, Washington, August 8, 2013
On August 8, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Commonwealth 185, registered N67045, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Burlington, Washington (Skagit Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate control inputs during a crosswind landing, which resulted in a hard landing and loss of directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · Skagit Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Commonwealth 185 · all 185s on the register
- Registration
- N67045 · registry record · serial 1769
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane was landing in a 6-knot, 40-degree crosswind at the conclusion of a local flight. The pilot stated that, during the landing roll, a wind gust picked up the left wing, which lifted the left main wheel off the ground. The left main wheel then touched down hard, and the airplane swerved aggressively to the left. The airplane departed the asphalt surface and nosed over when it contacted the adjacent grass. During postaccident repair of the airplane, a mechanic reported that an interior footwell panel had dislodged and caught on the left rudder bar, inhibiting movement of the pedals. If the panel had been dislodged before the flight, it should have been observed both during a preflight inspection and during the flight. As the pilot did not report any resistance in the pedals before the landing, it is likely that the panel became dislodged as a result of the hard landing, which prevented the pilot from regaining directional control.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 98 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 52 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor C85 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,478 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from KBVS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR13LA364.