Piper PA-22-150 accident near Kennewick, Washington, January 24, 1988
On January 24, 1988 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3316Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennewick, Washington (Vista Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1988 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kennewick, Washington · Vista Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3316Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-7250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 75 FEET AGL A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PLT LANDED ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY BUT OVERRAN THE RWY, COMING TO REST 200 FT BEYOND THE END. DURING THE OVERRUN, THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK A ROCK AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL TANKS CONTAINED AUTOMOTIVE FUEL ALTHOUGH THE AIRCRAFT HAD NO STC FOR THE USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. THE FUEL WAS EXAMINED AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WAS ALSO CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND DIRT. SAMPLES OF FUEL WERE TAKEN FROM THE SUMP DRAINS AND THE GASCOLATOR. THE PLT DID NOT FILE AN ACC REPORT.
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: 300 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S98 Kennewick WA at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,490 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from S98
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.