Piper 601P accident near Garfield, Washington, January 2, 1984
On January 2, 1984 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper 601P, registered N6081Q, was destroyed in an accident near Garfield, Washington. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- January 2, 1984 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Garfield, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 601P
- Registration
- N6081Q · registry record · serial 61P075180633
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FORCED TO LAND ON A ROAD DUE TO A FIRE IN THE LEFT WING. DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE ACCIDENT IT WAS FOUND THAT THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER HAD BEEN REMOVED AND REINSTALLED SEVERAL TIMES. A CLAMP ON THE TURBOCHARGER EXHAUST WASIMPROPERLY INSTALLED AND NOT ALIGNED PROPERLY. THIS ALLOWED HOT GASES TO BE DIVERTED AND BLOW ON THE FIREWALL AND MELT AFUEL LINE WHICH STARTED THE FIRE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,103 hours in all; 3,250 in this make and model; 106 in the last 90 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,814 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 1983; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ramos Construction Company INC
The flight
- Departed from: GEG Spokane WA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.