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SEA90LA024

1989-11-29 · SEATTLE, Washington, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport BFI

Current FAA registration · N1920Q

Make / Model
CESSNA A185F
Year of manufacture
1977 · 12 years old at event
Engine
CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19771107
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A17200

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL.

Factual narrative

DURING AN UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS LAST CLEARED TO LAND BY ATC. THE CONTROLLER LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE AND AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO MAKE CONTACT WAS MADE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LATER FOUND ABANDONED ON THE TAXIWAY JUST OFF THE RUNWAY. SKID MARKS BEGINNING APRX 600 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD AND ENDING AT THE WRECKAGE WERE FOUND. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR HAD COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS RESTING ON THE LEFT WING. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BOTH BENT AND CURLED. THE PILOT WAS NEVER LOCATED AND THE OWNER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE MUST HAVE BEEN STOLEN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_SEA90LA024.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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