Cessna 172 accident near Lynden, Washington, May 4, 1989
On May 4, 1989 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6064R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynden, Washington (Lynden airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT DELAYED IN ABORTING THE LANDING AND FAILED OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM MUSHING AFTER LIFT-OFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: OBSTRUCTIONS NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND THE TREE AND FENCE NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1989 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lynden, Washington · Lynden · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6064R · registry record · serial 17253733
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE PLT STAYED HIGH TO AVOID TREES & WIRES & THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN LONG. AFTER APPLYING BRAKES, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND, BUT THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT MUSHED INTO A SMALL TREE, THEN HIT A FENCE & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE 'RAN OUT OF RUNWAY - RUNWAY TOO SHORT.'
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: 812 hours in all; 254 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 682 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,794 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1989; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 2,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6064R 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.