Beech D35 accident near Shelton, Washington, November 9, 2006
On November 9, 2006 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Beech D35, registered N2843V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelton, Washington (Sanderson Field). 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
The pilot's failure to refuel the airplane, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall during the subsequent forced landing. A factor associated with the accident is the inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 2006 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · Sanderson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D35 · all D35s on the register
- Registration
- N2843V · no longer on the register · serial D-248
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While returning to the departure airport for landing, the pilot reported an engine problem. The airplane was subsequently observed by two pilot-rated witnesses in a steep spiral before impacting trees in a nose down attitude. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site, and a postaccident examination of the airframe and engine failed to disclose any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or component failure. An examination of the engine and airframe fuel system components failed to find any fuel. There were no obvious indications of fuel spillage or staining of vegetation at the accident site, nor did emergency response personnel report the odor of fuel upon their arrival at the scene of the accident.
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; instructor: instrument airplane
- Flight time: 510 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,516.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006; 4.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,560 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHN Shelton WA at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,005 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,100 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SHN, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA07FA016.