Piper PA-32-300 accident near Glacier Peak, Washington, June 19, 1983
On June 19, 1983 at about 6:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4013R, was destroyed in an accident near Glacier Peak, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- June 19, 1983 · about 6:51 pm local time
- Place
- Glacier Peak, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4013R · registry record · serial 32-40307
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SIDE OF GLACIER PEAK AT ABOUT 10000 FT MSL WHILE IN LEVEL FLT. THE EXACT WEATHER CONDITIONS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT ARE UNKNOWN BUT SEVERAL MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS AT 6000 FT ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY ATABOUT THE SAME TIME DESCRIBE THE WEATHER AS SKY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 50 FT IN LIGHT TO MODERATE WET SNOW, NO WIND. TEMPERATURE +38 DEGREES F. THE FLT WAS ENROUTE FROM ALDERWOOD MANOR TO THE PILOTS PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR SPOKANE, WA. A WITNESS WHO HAD FLOWN THE ROUTE WITH THE PLT SEVERAL TIMES SAID THAT THE FLT NORMALLY PASSED SOUTH OF GLACIER PEAK AT ABOUT 10000-11000 FT. HE SAID THAT THE PILOT USED NAV AIDS ALONG THE ROUTE AND WOULD FLY IN CLOUDS IF THE WEATHER DICTATED IT. THE PILOT DID NOT NORMALLY TALK WITH ANYONE ON THE RADIO DURING FLT IN THE CLOUDS. HE DID HOWEVER ALWAYS GET A WEATHER BRIEFING. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHICH IF ANY NAV AIDS THE PLT USED DURING THE ACCIDENT FLT. THERE IS NO KNOWN RECORD OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE ACFT AND ANY RADIO FACILITY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 757 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,035 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 1982; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S13 Alderwood Manor WA at 6:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.