Cessna 140 accident near Puyallup, Washington, May 31, 1996
On May 31, 1996 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N72344, was substantially damaged in an accident near Puyallup, Washington (Pierce County-Thun Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, and failure to maintain runway alignment during a go-around. The pilot's improper flare for landing was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1996 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Puyallup, Washington · Pierce County-Thun Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N72344 · registry record · serial 9528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a landing attempt, the airplane bounced hard two times, and she decided to go around. She reported that in the go-around attempt, she retracted the flaps from full down to full up and added power. The aircraft then veered left and crashed in scotch broom to the left of the runway.
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: 193 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,253 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1995; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,650 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from TCM, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA96LA105.