Amateur-built Fisher Celebrity accident near Anacortes, Washington, October 6, 2006
On October 6, 2006 at about 11:40 pm local time, a amateur-built Fisher Celebrity, registered N635GH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anacortes, Washington (Anacortes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during takeoff for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2006 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Anacortes, Washington · Anacortes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Fisher Celebrity
- Registration
- N635GH · no longer on the register · serial AV-1027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built experimental-category airplane lost partial engine power shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported that the engine did not entirely stop running, but rather "sputtered" and experienced a significant reduction in power, less than required to sustain flight, and he elected to ditch the aircraft. FAA Inspectors examined the wreckage and reported that the engine was intact and no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure. The pilot reported that further examination of the engine, to include a teardown, revealed no additional information that could explain the loss of engine power.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin E4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 74S Anacortes WA at 11:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.