Beech RC 45J accident near Everett, Washington, June 11, 2015
On June 11, 2015 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1944 Beech RC 45J, registered N585PB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Everett, Washington (Snohomish County (Paine Fld) 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a runway excursion, and a collision with a sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2015 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Everett, Washington · Snohomish County (Paine Fld) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech RC 45J J, built 1944
- Registration
- N585PB · no longer on the register · serial 029585
- 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 the landing roll, as the tailwheel lowered, the airplane began to veer to the left. He applied full right rudder, and right brake, with no effect. The pilot stated that he increased the throttle on the left engine, but by that time, the aircraft had veered partially off the runway to the left and struck an airport sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 900 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 14, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,549 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 11, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 9,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney R985 (piston); 11,039 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney R985 (piston); 3,635 hours total
- Operator: Historic Flight Foundation
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 9:15 pm
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34L, 9,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KPAE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on July 20, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo 1 - Lower Left Vertical Stabilizer Leading Edge | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 2 - Leading Edge of Left Wing | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 3 - Fuselage Skin Wrinkled Forward of Tailwheel | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.