Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG 1 accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington, June 10, 1989
On June 10, 1989 at about 10:37 pm local time, a amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG 1, registered N8020E, was destroyed in an accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington (Martha Lake airport). 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
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN FLYING A TRAFFIC PATTERN AT TREE-TOP LEVEL AND A TAILWIND CONDITION DURING THE STEEP TURN TO FINAL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1989 · about 10:37 pm local time
- Place
- Alderwood Manor, Washington · Martha Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BUSHBY MUSTANG 1 BUSHBY MUS
- Registration
- N8020E · registry record · serial 244
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER MAKING A LOW PASS OVER THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT FLEW A VFR TRAFFIC PATTERN AT A LOW ALTITUDE. HE INITIATED A STEEP LEFT TURN TO FINAL APPROACH AT 100 FT ABOVE THE LAKE ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FURTHER LEFT, DESCENDED IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE & IMPACTED THE WATER.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OS8 Port Orchard WA at 10:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,700 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 21,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from PAE, 3 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.