- Date
- May 30, 1988, 12:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lester State, WA
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N20580Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 28, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880530036349A
- Case key
- 40823
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot inadvertently flew into a narrow valley with trees on both sides and steep rising terrain during climb to cruise. The aircraft was not able to outclimb the rising terrain, so the pilot slowed the aircraft to 40 m.p.h. and attempted a shallow climbing turn to avoid large boulders. The aircraft struck trees during the turn. The aircraft then descended towards the ground. The aircraft impacted trees and came to rest several feet above the ground in a nose low attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20580
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17361412
- Airframe hours
- 6,786
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lyle P. Jones
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 1988 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 15S · Lester State, WA
- Destination
- S50 · Auburn, WA
- Airport
- 15S · Lester State
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 398 total · 390 in this make and model · 338 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.