Beech A-36TC accident near Burlington, Washington, September 13, 2007
On September 13, 2007 at about 4:51 pm local time, a Beech A-36TC, registered N1811Q, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, Washington (Skagit Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to descend below the published minimum descent altitude (MDA), and his failure to maintain clearance from vertical objects during an instrument approach. Contributing to the accident were low ceilings, inadequate preflight planning, and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2007 · about 4:51 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Washington · Skagit Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-36TC · all A-36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N1811Q · no longer on the register · serial EA-239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While executing an instrument approach in weather conditions that included a one-quarter mile visibility and an overcast ceiling 100 feet above ground level, and while one and one-half mile from the approach end of the runway, the pilot descended about 430 feet below the minimum descent altitude for the approach. After descending to that altitude, the airplane's left wing impacted a tree situated below the final approach course.
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: 4,100 hours in all; 4,050 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,208 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KHVR Havre MT at 1:00 pm
- Destination: KBVS Burlington WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 10, 5,477 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 5:10 pm from KBVS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.