Beech E18S accident near Burlington, Washington, February 4, 2003
On February 4, 2003 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Beech E18S, registered N48K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Washington (Skagit Regional 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 adequately remove ice/frost from the aircraft and to maintain airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff. An inadequate preflight was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2003 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · Skagit Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N48K · no longer on the register · serial BA-202
- 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 preflight he noted ice and frost adhering to the airplane. After applying glycol he polished and brushed off the frost. The pilot warmed up the engines before taking off to stay in the pattern "to clear the airplane of the ice, and to make sure everything was working properly." Before releasing the brakes, the pilot brought the power up to make sure everything was in the green. The pilot stated that for takeoff, he "tried to baby the engines using a less than max power for the departure." The tail of the airplane came up about 3/4 of the way down the runway. Seeing the end of the runway, more power was added and the aircraft lifted off. The landing gear was raised when a positive rate was attained. Shortly after gear retraction the pilot stated that, "I felt the airplane mushing, like a stall. I then added more power, but the aircraft kept mushing, and then it impacted terrain with power on both engines." The aircraft came to rest in an open field located approximately 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. After the accident, ice was still noted adhering to most of the airplane.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,800 as pilot in command; 2,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,243 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 2, 2002; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R985 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Methow Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BVS Burlington WA at 1:05 pm
- Destination: BVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,477 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 1:05 pm from BVS
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.
Other NTSB records under N48K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.