Piper PA-28-140 accident near Greenwater, Washington, March 20, 2001
On March 20, 2001 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8769N, was destroyed in an accident near Greenwater, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2001 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greenwater, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8769N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25592
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and a co-worker were on a local sight seeing flight in the area of Mt. Rainier National Park. After failing to arrive at the intended destination, family members contacted the FAA, and a search for the missing aircraft was initiated. The following day, the aircraft wreckage was located in a heavily wooded area on the south slope of Mt. Rainier. The aircraft collided with mountainous terrain and was destroyed by impact forces and fire. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure.
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: 974 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 23, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,567 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S50 Auburn WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 21W Ranger Creek WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from TCM, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.