Cessna 152 accident near Gold Bar, Washington, March 17, 1988
On March 17, 1988 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4932H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gold Bar, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- March 17, 1988 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gold Bar, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4932H · no longer on the register · serial 15284027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND HIS DUAL STUDENT FLEW INTO A CANYON AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALLOWED TO FLY TOO CLOSE TO RISING TERRAIN WHICH THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO OUTCLIMB. DURING A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. THE CFI STATED THAT THEY COULD HAVE STAYED OUT OF THE CANYON OR GONE IN AT A HIGHER ALT BUT THAT HE HAD BEEN THERE BEFORE UNDER SIMILIAR CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONSIDERED IT SAFE. ON THIS DAY, ACCORDING TO THE STATED REPORT, THE STUDENT PLT HAD TROUBLE HOLDING THE ACFT ON COURSE AND DRIFTED TOWARD RISING TERRAIN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,990 hours in all; 2,925 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 2,801 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,522 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 6, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S43 Snohomish WA at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.