Piper PA-31-350 accident near Easton, Washington, July 11, 2006
On July 11, 2006, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N40ST, was destroyed in an accident near Easton, Washington. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of power in both engines for undetermined reasons while in cruise flight, leading to an attempted forced landing. Factors include unfavorable winds at the site of the forced landing, and trees off the approach end of the grass runway the pilot was attempting to land on.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2006
- Place
- Easton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N40ST · registry record · serial 31-7405183
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While cruising en route in VFR conditions, the aircraft lost power on both engines. The pilot attempted an emergency forced landing at a nearby unpaved State airport, but after encountering a 20 mph tailwind on downwind and a 20 mph headwind on final, the aircraft impacted a tall conifer tree while about one-half mile from the approach end of the runway. The reason for the dual engine power loss was not determined.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,430 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 196 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 1,366 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,646 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 1, 2006; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Airpac Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: KGEG Spokane WA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: KBFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 2,640 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.