Amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES accident near Graham, Washington, October 15, 1988
On October 15, 1988 at about 3:34 pm local time, a amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES, registered N8519K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Graham, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- October 15, 1988 · about 3:34 pm local time
- Place
- Graham, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BABY GREAT LAKES BABY GREAT
- Registration
- N8519K · registry record · serial BG 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ENG LOST PWR WHILE IN CRUISE ON LOCAL FLT. PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO FIELD BUT CONTACTED TREES DURING EMERG DESCENT TO FORCED LNDG. INVESTIGATION REVEALED PRESENCE OF WATER IN FUEL SYSTEM. FUEL SEDIMENT BOWL WAS AUTOMOTIVE TYPE WITH AVIATION DRAIN INSTALLED. DRAIN FITTING PENETRATED BOWL 3/16 INCHES BEYOND NORMAL, ALLOWING 2 INCHES OF UNDRAINABLE WATER AND SEDIMENT TO BE TRAPPED IN BOWL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,245 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 3,245 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 730 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 28, 1988; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 825 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-85-12 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.