Cessna 172 accident near Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, July 23, 1988
On July 23, 1988 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8109B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. It was a personal 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
- July 23, 1988 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Coeur D'Alene, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8109B · registry record · serial 29909
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LOW PASS OVER INTENDED LANDING AREA, ACFT WOULD NOT OUTCLIMB RISING TERRAIN IN CANYON. PLT MUSHED INTO BRUSHY CLEARCUT AREA RATHER THAN COLLIDE WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. PLT REPORT STATED FINDING OF LOW COMPRESSION ON 3 CYLS. DENSITY ALTITUDE ESTIMATED AT 6500 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: military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1987; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COE Coeur D'Alene ID at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from SFF, 20 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.