Cessna 207 accident near Shaw Island, Washington, April 8, 2014
On April 8, 2014 at about 6:26 pm local time, a 1970 Cessna 207, registered N685S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Shaw Island, Washington (Shaw Island airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of directional control during the landing flare with a gusting tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2014 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Shaw Island, Washington · Shaw Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207, built 1970 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N685S · registry record · serial 20700184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing flare on the uphill runway of the private grass airstrip, the airplane encountered a quartering tailwind gust causing it to shift left of the centerline. The pilot applied corrective control inputs avoiding a ditch; however, the left horizontal stabilizer struck a rock berm. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airstrip was comprised of grass and gravel, and was wet at the time of 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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 28,000 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 17, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,106 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 30, 2014; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 3,816 hours total
- Operator: Aircraft Adventures LLC
The flight
- Departed from: FHR Friday Harbor WA at 6:18 pm
- Destination: PVT Shaw Island WA
- Runway 01, 1,750 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BLI, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.