Amateur-built Hawker Hurricane accident near Buckley, Washington, August 27, 2001
On August 27, 2001 at about 8:29 pm local time, a amateur-built Hawker Hurricane, registered N3941Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckley, Washington (Cawley'S South Prairie 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
A loss of power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's inflight decision to attempt a 180 degree turn back to the runway from low altitude and his failure to maintain sufficient flying airspeed during the turn. A contributing factor was drug impairment of the pilot as a result of higher than normal levels of Benedryl, an antihistamine which affects the ability to perform complex cognitive and motor tasks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2001 · about 8:29 pm local time
- Place
- Buckley, Washington · Cawley'S South Prairie · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Hawker Hurricane
- Registration
- N3941Q · no longer on the register · serial 1008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Several witnesses reported hearing the experimental, reduced scale World War II Hawker Hurricane's engine "sputtering," and a third witness reported hearing the same sound and then observing the aircraft crash at the north end of the 2,650 foot long, North/South oriented, grass airstrip. A fourth witness, located along the runway, reported hearing the aircraft having engine problems while the aircraft was approaching to land from south to north. He further reported that as the aircraft approached the runway, the engine quit and that the aircraft continued flying north until reaching the north end of the runway at which time the plane pulled up to "tree top level" appearing to attempt a turn back to the runway, and then fell back to the ground nose first. Post-crash examination of the aircraft's engine revealed no mechanical malfunction, and fuel was found in the aircraft's main tanks but the header tank was ruptured. A satellite photograph of the airstrip and surrounding area revealed approximately 1,500 feet of open field directly north of the crash site as confirmed by an FAA inspector at the site. Toxicological evaluation of blood samples from the pilot revealed Diphenhydramine, commonly known by the trade name "Benadryl," an antihistamine. The level of Diphenhydramine found in the pilot's blood was reported as being consistent with several times the normal dosage within an eight-hour period. In such doses, the medication commonly results in drowsiness, and has measurable effects on performance of complex cognitive and motor tasks.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Last flight review: August 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 152 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 7, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,475 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 02WA Buckley WA
- Destination: WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from TCM, 17 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.