Lester State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lester State, Washington 98035
Monday, May 30, 1988 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO A NARROW VALLEY WITH TREES ON BOTH SIDES AND STEEP RISING TERRAIN DURING CLIMB TO CRUISE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO OUTCLIMB THE RISING TERRAIN, SO THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO 40 M.P.H. AND ATTEMPTED A SHALLOW CLIMBING TURN TO AVOID LARGE BOULDERS. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES DURING THE TURN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN DESCENDED TOWARDS THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES AND CAME TO REST SEVERAL FEET ABOVE THE GROUND IN A NOSE LOW ATTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1988
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City LESTER STATE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98035
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LESTER STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 15S
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 286
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36016
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:46AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20580
NTSB Number SEA88LA101
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172M
Aircraft Series Identifier 172M
Aircraft Serial Number 17361412
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 19 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 6786
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LYLE P. JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 400 E. MERIDIAN
Aircraft Owner City PUYALLUP
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 15S
Departure City LESTER STATE
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1225
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S50
Destination City AUBURN
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --