Cassutt III accident near Shelton, Washington, August 13, 1988
On August 13, 1988 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cassutt III, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N2984G, was destroyed in an accident near Shelton, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- August 13, 1988 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cassutt III, amateur-built
- Registration
- N2984G · no longer on the register · serial 8140
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT HAD BEEN RESTORED AND RECERTIFICATED SINCE LAST FLIGHT IN 1969. ON INITIAL TEST FLIGHT TAKEOFF, PLT IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO AND FLEW LOW, SLOW LANDING PATTERN CIRCUIT WITH SOUNDS OF REDUCED POWER, COLLIDING WITH TREES IN FINAL APPROACH TURN. INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL WHETHER POWER LOSS OCCURRED OR PLT ELECTED TO FLY PATTERN WITH REDUCED POWER. THE ACFT HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION ON 6/19/88 AND WAS REISSUED A CERT OF AIRWORTHINESS ON 7/21/88. THE ACC FLT WAS THE 1ST FLT SINCE 1969 FOR THE ACFT. ON 8/12/88 A HIGH SPEED, FULL POWER TAXI TEST WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH THE ACFT BRIEFLY AIRBORNE. POST ACC EXTERNAL EXAM OF THE ENG SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE. THE PROP SHOWED MINIMAL ROTATION EVIDENCE AFTER IMPACT. THE ENG HAD BEEN RUN UP TO 3400 RPM ON 8/12 WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED.
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: 315 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 56 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHN at 7:13 pm
- Destination: SHN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from BFI, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.