Swift GC-1B accident near Everett, Washington, April 27, 1983
On April 27, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Swift GC-1B, registered N80649, was substantially damaged in an accident near Everett, Washington (Martha Lake airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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 27, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Everett, Washington · Martha Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swift GC-1B
- Registration
- N80649 · registry record · serial 1054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFTS LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SHEARED AND THE ACFT CAME TO REST OFF THE RUNWAY IN THE GRASS. THE PILOT SAID THAT EVENTHOUGH THE LANDING GEAR LIGHT INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED HE DOES NOT BELIEVE THE RT MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. DURINGAN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND THE LEFT GEAR SHEARED IN OVERLOAD DUE TO FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE PASSENGER SAID THEY WERE IN AN APPROACH STALL WITH A HARD LANDING THAT COLLAPSED THE GEAR.
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
- Flight time: 560 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 560 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,710 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental C-125-2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PAE Everett WA at 1:00 am
- Destination: S13 Alderwood Manor WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,700 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 am from PAE, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.