NTSB CAROL · Event
Event SEA07CA176
Registry · N92827
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
COMMONWEALTH 185
Engine
CONT MOTOR C85 SERIES (85 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19581008
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S ACDEA0
Registrant of record
DEXTER FRED H
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation which resulted in the airplane's lack of climb performance and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing factors included the downdraft and the high temperature.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he and the passenger, who was the owner of the airplane, were going for a local flight. The airplane was powered by an 85 horsepower engine and manufactured in 1946. Approximately 0.5-miles from their departure airport, the airplane suddenly began to sink so the pilot turned the airplane into the wind. The airplane began to climb and then encountered downdrafts and an excessive sink rate developed. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and force-landed the airplane in a gravel quarry. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The temperature at the time was approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The pilot reported that he and the passenger, who was the owner of the airplane, were going for a local flight. The airplane was powered by an 85 horsepower engine and manufactured in 1946. Approximately 0.5-miles from their departure airport, the airplane suddenly began to sink so the pilot turned the airplane into the wind. The airplane began to climb and then encountered downdrafts and an excessive sink rate developed. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and force-landed the airplane in a gravel quarry. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The temperature at the time was approximately 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2007_SEA07CA176.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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Related research
What the literature says.
Academic papers and agency reports matching this event's aircraft type. Sourced from NASA NTRS, NTSB Safety Studies, FAA CAMI, AOPA Air Safety Institute, Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons, arXiv, and the Semantic Scholar academic graph.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2022 · Journal article (IJAAA)
Comparison of Schedules, Stress, Sleep Problems, Fatigue, Mental Health and Well-being of Low Cost and Network Carrier Pilots
Objective This research investigates and compares working-conditions, duty rosters, stress, sleep problems, fatigue levels, mental health, and well-being of pilots working for network (NWCs), and low-…
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 1996 · Journal article (JAAER)
The Edwards Personal Preference Schedule as a Predictor of Success in a Collegiate Professional Pilot Training Program
This study examined the preliminary results of a project designed to identify a method to predict successful student completion of a collegiate professional pilot curriculum.
- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 1994 · Journal article (JAAER)
Testing for the Existence of the Pilot Personality Profile in Collegiate Professional Pilot Candidates
This study explored the existence of the so-called pilot's personality profile in collegiate professional pilot candidates, based on selected factors of the Edwards Personality Preference Schedule (EP…
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