Cessna 172P accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington, September 4, 1989
On September 4, 1989 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N98354, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alderwood Manor, Washington (Martha Lake airport). It was a personal 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE TAILWIND AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1989 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Alderwood Manor, Washington · Martha Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N98354 · registry record · serial 17276282
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE PILOT LANDED DOWNWIND ON A 1689 FT RUNWAY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT WENT OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY AND HIT A TREE AND A BOAT. THE AIRPORT DATA WARNED OF 'TREE RWY 16; BUILDING RWY 34.'
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: 90 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 11:10 pm
- Destination: S13
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 1,689 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm from PAE
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.