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SEA89LA054

1989-03-04 · BELLINGHAM, Washington, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BLI

Current FAA registration · N79PK

Make / Model
CESSNA A185F
Year of manufacture
1979 · 10 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19981223
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AAB6FB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE LOSS OF LIFT DUE TO ICE ACCUMULATION ON THE WINGS, HIS FAILURE TO CONTROL THE RATE OF DESCENT, AND POOR INFLIGHT DECISION MAKING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FATIGUE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED THAT ICE HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE AIRPLANE DURING THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS FATIGUED FROM THE LONG FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER ESTIMATED THE ICE WAS ABOUT 1 TO 2 INCHES THICK AND THAT ON THE BASE TO FINAL TURN THE AIRPLANE BANKED TO APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. THE RATE OF DESCENT INCREASED AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT BEFORE THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE APPROACH LIGHTS BEFORE COMING TO REST. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_SEA89LA054.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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