Cessna 172P accident near Vashon Island, Washington, January 20, 1988
On January 20, 1988, a Cessna 172P, registered N5328K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vashon Island, Washington (Vashon Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 20, 1988 · cases in 1988
- Place
- Vashon Island, Washington · Vashon Island · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5328K · registry record · serial 17274067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLL THE PILOT MADE AN INTENTIONAL GROUNDLOOP TO AVOID TREES AT THE END OF THE SHORT, WET, S0D RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE USE OF BRAKES WAS INEFFECTIVE. HE STATED THAT HE MADE THE LANDING USING 30 DEGS OF FLAPS AT AN AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS. THE RIGHT WING CAUGHT AT DITCH ALONG THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY DURING THE GROUNDLOOP. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS SHORT FIELD LANDING PERFORMANCE DATA, THE TOTAL DISTANCE REQUIRED TO MAKE A SHORT FIELD LANDING ON A DRY GRASS RUNWAY WITH 30 DEGS OF FLAPS, POWER OFF, CALM WINDS AND MAXIMUM BRAKING IS 1465 FT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,715 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 11, 1987; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA
- Destination: 2S1 Vashon Island WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,940 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5328K on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J 96 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Vashon Municipal · nearest airport
- Boeing Fld/King County International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,644 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA88LA037.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.