Piper PA-31-350 accident near Wenatchee, Washington, May 20, 2003
On May 20, 2003 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N71749, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wenatchee, Washington (Pangborn Memorial airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
Failure of the nose gear steering system for undetermined reasons during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2003 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Wenatchee, Washington · Pangborn Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N71749 · no longer on the register · serial 31-7652098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the nose gear began to oscillate when it made contact with the runway surface. The pilot applied up elevator to unload the nose gear. When the nose gear touched down again, the aircraft veered to the right side. The pilot tried to compensate with left rudder input, however, the aircraft traveled off the side of the runway surface onto soft terrain. The nose gear collapsed and the aircraft came to rest off the side of the runway. Inspection of the nose gear found that the steering arm on top of the nose gear strut was missing. The part has not been located.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 3,050 as pilot in command; 1,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 7, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,564 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2002; 649 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,368 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEG Spokane WA at 2:15 am
- Destination: EAT Wenatchee WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 5,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from EAT
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.