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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1988 · about 6:50 pm local time · cases in 1988
- Place
- Ft. Lewis, Washington · Gray Aaf · cases near this airport · 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
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N24995 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gray Army Airfield (Joint Base Lewis-Mcchord) · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,644 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N24995 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA88LA141.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.