Cessna 172P accident near Shelton, Washington, September 11, 1988
On September 11, 1988 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54867, was destroyed in an accident near Shelton, Washington (Sanderson Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 11, 1988 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · Sanderson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54867 · no longer on the register · serial 17275073
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MINS AFTER T/O, THE PLT NOTED THE ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH AND ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR PRECAUTIONARY LNDG. APPROACH WAS HIGH AND FAST, LEADING TO BALKED LNDG. ON THROTTLE APPLICATION, ENG QUIT. ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES BEYOND RUNWAY. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN WITH NO MALFUNCTIONS. THE FUEL SAMPLES WERE CLEAR OF CONTAMINATES. NO SYSTEM FAILURES WERE FOUND.
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: 85 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 48 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1988; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: RTN Renton WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 5,050 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.