Amateur-built KEN RAND KR-2 accident near Ellensburg, Washington, August 11, 1990
On August 11, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built KEN RAND KR-2, registered N232CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellensburg, Washington. 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
THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ABOVE THE TERRAIN OR VISUAL LOOKOUT WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH A TRANSMISSION WIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ellensburg, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built KEN RAND KR-2 KEN RAND K
- Registration
- N232CM · registry record · serial 5177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE WAS ONE OF FOUR IN A FLIGHT FLYING LOW LEVEL AND FOLLOWING A HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANES WERE FLYING ABREAST ONE ANOTHER AND THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS WATCHING THE OTHERS ON EITHER SIDE OF HIM AS FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS NEAR NONEXISTANT DUE TO THE AIRPLANES CONFIGURATION. THE TERRAIN WAS ROLLING AND RISING IN FRONT OF THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE AIRPLANE HAD A TENDENCY TO ROLL TO THE LEFT WHICH THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR. THE FLIGHT WAS THEN DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHERE A LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IT WAS LATER FOUND THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE THAT RAN ACROSS THE INTERSTATE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 848 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- 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: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA at 6:15 pm
- Destination: EPH Ephrata WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.