Cessna 152 accident near Ft. Lewis, Washington, July 29, 1988
On July 29, 1988 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N24995, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Lewis, Washington (Gray Aaf 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
- July 29, 1988 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Lewis, Washington · Gray Aaf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N24995 · registry record · serial 15280502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST RECEIVED HIS FIXED WING RATING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE A HARD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN TO PORPOISE. ON THE THIRD BOUNCE THE NOSEGEAR FAILED AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST A SMALL FIRE OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 368 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 76 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,921 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 31, 1988; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from GRF
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.
Other NTSB records under N24995 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.