Cessna 172M accident near Hood River, Oregon, May 6, 1988
On May 6, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12659, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hood River, Oregon (Hood River airport). 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
- May 6, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hood River, Oregon · Hood River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12659 · no longer on the register · serial 62154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT HAD DIVERTED BACK ALONG COURSE TO LAND BECAUSE OF OBSERVED WX AHEAD. ON LATE FINAL, A STRONG WIND GUST TIPPED THE ACFT TO NEAR WINGS-VERTICAL ATTITUDE. PLT MANAGED TO CORRECT TO WINGS LEVEL BUT COULD NOT CONTROL ALTITUDE LOSS BEFORE GROUND CONTACT. PLT STATED WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 250 DEG AT 30 KTS.
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: 131 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,876 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1988; 148 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGD La Grande OR at 4:22 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,040 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; scat
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from DLS, 17 miles away
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.