Cessna 175 accident near Stevens Pass, Washington, February 14, 1988
On February 14, 1988 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 175, registered N6642E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stevens Pass, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 14, 1988 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Stevens Pass, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N6642E · no longer on the register · serial 56142
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLANNED FLT WAS VFR TRANSIT OF CASCADE MOUNTAINS IN DAYLIGHT. PLT FILED VFR FLT PLAN; WX BRIEF INDICATED VFR. UNFORESEEN DELAYS RESULTED IN ARRIVAL AT PLANNED MOUNTAIN PASS OVER ONE HOUR LATE AND WX NO LONGER VMC. PLT COULD SEE ALTERNATE PASS TO NORTH APPEARED BETTER AND AMENDED FLT PLAN VIA STEVENS PASS DESPITE FSS ADVISORY OF VNR UNDER CLOUDS THROUGH CASCADES. FLT ARRIVED AT STEVENS PASS AFTER DARK; HOWEVER, LIGHTS FOR NIGHT SKIING ILLUMINATED PASS AND FLT PROCEEDED. AFTER BEGINNING DESCENT ALONG HIGHWAY AFTER PASS TRANSIT, PLT SAID HE ENCOUNTERED IMC AND LOST VISUAL REFERENCE WITH KNOWN HIGH TERRAIN ON BOTH SIDES. PLT INITIATED CLIMB BUT MUSHED INTO TREES ON RISING TERRAIN AHEAD.
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: 750 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YAK Yakima WA at 2:00 am
- Destination: S43 Snohomish WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.