Cessna 150 accident near Amboy, Washington, June 10, 1998
On June 10, 1998, a Cessna 150, registered N7759E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amboy, Washington (Swift Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude and/or clearance from terrain during a go-around attempt. Factors included a short landing area and trees in the landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1998
- Place
- Amboy, Washington · Swift Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150 · all 150s on the register
- Registration
- N7759E · no longer on the register · serial 17559
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported the airplane made an approach to a small private grass airstrip adjacent to the crash site in an easterly direction, then began a go-around late in the approach (they reported the aircraft was below the tops of power poles in the area at this point, at an estimated height between 30 and 50 feet above ground level). The one-way airstrip, with landings to the east and takeoffs to the west, is 800 feet long and has trees at both ends and on both sides. The witnesses reported that during the attempted go-around, the airplane began a right turn, and that in this turn the airplane's right wingtip dragged the ground and the airplane crashed into a field. On-scene investigators found no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction, sabotage or tampering, preimpact airframe structural failure, or fire. The pilot's third-class FAA medical certificate was expired; however, autopsy and toxicology tests did not indicate that medical factors were involved.
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: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,599 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1997; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown
- Destination: Unknown
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from PDX, 20 miles away
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.