Piper PA-28-160 accident near Renton, Washington, September 29, 1988
On September 29, 1988 at about 9:36 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5896W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Renton, Washington (Renton Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 29, 1988 · about 9:36 pm local time
- Place
- Renton, Washington · Renton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5896W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2685
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM A LONG SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. THE RUNWAY WAS UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION. 2,300 FEET REMAINED FOR LANDING. LANDING NEEDED TO BE ACCOMPLISHED OVER BARRIERS. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD APPROACH FLAPS SET. THE TOWER ASKED THE PILOT TO MAKE A HIGH APPROACH. THE PILOT THEN ADDED FULL FLAPS. A HIGH RATE OF SINK DEVELOPED. A HARD BOUNCED LANDING THEN OCCURRED. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUED UNTIL IT STRUCK A RIVER THAT PARALLELED THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO EFFECTIVE LEFT RUDDER OR LEFT BRAKE AVAILABLE. FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS INSPECTED THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THE AIRCRAFT, BUT COULD FIND NO REASON FOR LOSS OF LEFT RUDDER CONTROL OR LEFT BRAKING.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,036 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 3, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S47 Tillamook OR
- Destination: RTN Renton WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 2,300 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.