Cessna 172K accident near Patos Island, WA
On July 18, 1994, a Cessna 172K (airplane) was involved in an accident near Patos Island, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 18, 1994
- Place
- Patos Island, WA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 48.610°N, 122.879°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X01862
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 18, 1994, at 0840 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 172K, N7417G, collided with trees just after lift-off from the waters near Patos Island, Washington. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received fatal injuries, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The personal pleasure flight, which was departing for Friday Harbor, Washington, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. No flight plan had been filed, and there was no report of an ELT activation. According to witnesses who had moored their boats near Patos Island, the pilot had been flying around the area of the island on the day before the accident. The maneuvers that he was executing were described as daring and unusual. One boater said that the pilot was performing "...either very talented or very stupid aerobatics in his floatplane above Active Cove and Patos Island." After the completion of his flight, the pilot moored his aircraft in Active Cove, and reportedly spent the night camping with friends who had come to Patos Island by boat. The witnesses reported that on the morning of the accident, the pilot said that he was going to fly to Friday Harbor in order to take a shower. At the time of his departure, the winds were calm, and the sea was relatively flat, and from the point where he initiated his takeoff run, the pilot had a clear path to the north, west and south. The only obstructions to his takeoff were Patos Island and Little Patos Island to the east. The relationship of these two islands to each other fo
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO DRUGS (MARIJUANA), AND HIS IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM TREES, WHILE TAKING OFF TOWARD THE CLOSED END OF A COVE.
More accidents in WA
- Dehavilland DHC-3, Sep 4, 2022
- Cessna 208B, Oct 8, 2007
- Cessna 172P, Dec 7, 1991
- Piper PA-32-260, Jul 29, 2001
- Beech A60, Nov 21, 1992
Browse: Washington · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
