Cessna 150M accident near Bainbridge Island, WA
On May 28, 2018, a Cessna 150M (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bainbridge Island, WA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- May 28, 2018
- Place
- Bainbridge Island, WA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150M · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 47.724°N, 122.544°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180527X22946
Official records · WPR18LA151
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 27, 2018, about 1705 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M airplane, N6AF, was substantially damaged when it impacted water near Bainbridge Island, Washington. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the passenger, before departure from Harvey Field Airport (S43), Snohomish, Washington, the pilot used his iPad for navigation via the ForeFlight application. They took off and landed at Vashon Island, Washington. After takeoff from Vashon Island, while flying over the water, the passenger told the pilot that she thought the airplane was too low. The pilot replied that they were fine and that they were able to fly safely 200 ft above the water. The passenger stated that the pilot looked down at the iPad and she saw him push the flight control yoke forward. The airplane subsequently impacted the water and flipped over. The passenger reported that she blacked out for a short time. When she regained consciousness, she saw the pilot still restrained by his seat belt and slumped over; he appeared to be unconscious. The passenger was able to egress on her own as the airplane began to sink. The passenger reported that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane before the impact. An individual on a boat in the area of the accident site saw the splash of water when the airplane impacted the water, marked the location via a GPS device, and rescued the passenger. A witness on the shore was looking out toward the w
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the water and his distraction by using the tablet for navigation, which resulted in his failure to detect that the airplane had entered a descent.
More accidents in WA
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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.
