Beech C23 accident near Orchards, Washington, January 18, 1982
On January 18, 1982 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N2127W, was destroyed in an accident near Orchards, Washington (Clark County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1982 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Orchards, Washington · Clark County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N2127W · registry record · serial M 1503
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DESCENT WITH THE CARBURETOR HEAT ON, THE PILOT ADDED POWER 2 TIMES TO VERIFY THE ENGINE PERFORMANCE. NO DIFFICULTY WAS NOTED. HOWEVER, WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED TO LEVEL OFF AT 1800 FT MSL, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE PLANE HIT A DITCH AS THE PILOT WAS CROSSING BELOW POWER LINES. IT CONTINUED ACROSS A ROAD AND HIT A FENCE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONTINUITY IN THE ENGINE CONTROLS. THE FUEL LINE FITTINGS ON BOTH WING TANKS SEPARATED FROM IMPACT ALLOWING FUEL TO DRAIN FROM THE AIRCRAFT. NO BLOCKAGE, CONTAMINATION, OR PRE-CRASH DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. SUBSEQUENTLY, A FUEL SYSTEM WAS IMPROVISED AND THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RUN SUCCESSFULLY.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 96 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 72 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,487 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Central WA at 11:30 am
- Destination: Portland OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 111°F (44°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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 SEA82FYM08.