Cessna 172 accident near Roche Harbor, Washington, September 12, 2018
On September 12, 2018 at about 3:10 pm local time, a 2000 Cessna 172, registered N24ME, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Roche Harbor, Washington (Roche Harbor airport). It was a positioning 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to secure his seat position prior to takeoff, which resulted in a loss of airplane control and subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2018 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Roche Harbor, Washington · Roche Harbor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2000 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N24ME · no longer on the register · serial 172S8463
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he adjusted his seat and “wiggled it” prior to takeoff to ensure it was locked in place. However, during the takeoff roll, the seat moved all the way aft, and the pilot was not able to reach the throttle or the rudder pedals. The airplane veered to the left and lifted off the ground. Shortly after, the tail struck the ground, followed by the left wing, and the airplane came to rest on its nose. A postaccident examination of the seat rail and latching mechanism revealed no anomalies. There was proper hole engagement with the seat pin and holes in the seat rail; the seat did not move once the stop was engaged with the hole. Therefore, it is likely that although the pilot attempted to secure his seat before takeoff, the seat pin was likely not engaged in the corresponding hole in the seat rail, which resulted in its aft movement when the airplane gained speed during the takeoff roll.
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 takeoff
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Fasteners › Incorrect use/operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,030 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Island Air
The flight
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,593 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KFHR, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KFHR 121453Z AUTO 00000KT 2 1/2SM BR OVC004 13/12 A2992
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 24, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summary of Findings FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.