Beech 23 accident near Greenwater, Washington, April 25, 1982
On April 25, 1982 at about 3:45 am local time, a Beech 23, registered N6079N, was destroyed in an accident near Greenwater, Washington. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1982 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Greenwater, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N6079N · no longer on the register · serial 1203
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 1620 LOCAL TIME ON 4/24/82, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BURLEY, ID AND PROCEEDED ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN TO TACOMA, WA. THE MOUNTAINS EAST OF SEATTLE WERE OBSCURED BY AN OVERCAST CEILING BEGINNING AT 3500 FT. DURING A DESCENT FROM 10,500 FT INTO THE SEATTLE TERMINAL AREA, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT 3500 FT MSL. THE SEATTLE WEATHER WAS 3500 BRKN, VIS 15, TEMP 47, DEW PT 32, WIND 020 AT 5 KTS. THE TOP OF THE CEILING WAS ESTIMATED AT 7200 FT. AN AMERICAN AIRLINES CAPTAIN REPORTED SEEING THE AIRCRAFT IN A CONTROLLED DESCENT INTO A CLOUD LAYER.
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
- Flight time: 262 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Burley ID at 4:20 pm
- Destination: Tacoma WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 117°F (47°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.