Lake LA-4-200-EP accident near Bellevue, Washington, April 12, 1989
On April 12, 1989 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-200-EP, registered N8521Z, was destroyed in an accident near Bellevue, Washington. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1989 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Bellevue, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-200-EP LA-4-200-E · all LA-4-200-EPs on the register
- Registration
- N8521Z · registry record · serial 1093
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PLT (CFI) HAD BEEN TRAINING THE STUDENT, WHO WAS A CERTIFICATED PLT, BUT NOT SEAPLANE RATED. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT AS THE ACFT DEPARTED LAKE SAMMAMISH, THE ENG MADE UNUSUAL SOUNDS, THEN IT BECAME SILENT. ONE WITNESS RPRTD HESAW THE AIRPLANE SPINNING IN A FLAT ATTITUDE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE, BUT DURING A TEST, THE SPARK PLUGS WOULD NOT FIRE CONTINUOUSLY AT THE MIMIMUM ALLOWABLE OPERATIONAL PRESSURE. THE ACFT HAD BEEN EQUIPPED WITH AN EXTENDED PROPELLER HUB IN ACCORDANCE WITH STC #SA4NE. THIS MODIFICATION EXTENDED THE PROPELLER REARWARD BY 4 INCHES. THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 255 HRS SINCE IT WAS LAST INSPECTED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,592 hours in all; 1,463 as pilot in command; 430 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1988; 255 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,690 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lake Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA at 5:04 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from BFI, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8521Z 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.