Beech 23 accident near Stanwood, Washington, August 17, 1986
On August 17, 1986 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2320J, was destroyed in an accident near Stanwood, Washington (Reinig Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 1986 · about 7:15 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Stanwood, Washington · Reinig Airpark · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2320J · no longer on the register · serial M-270
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE PLT MADE AN APCH TO RWY 34 WHICH SLOPED DOWNHILL TWD THE NORTH END. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT LANDEDABOUT 1000 FT DOWN THE 1750 FT RWY. ONE WITNESS HEARD THE TIRES SQUEAL AS THE PLT APPLIED BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP. THE PLT THEN APPLIED POWER & INITIATED A GO-AROUND, BUT THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED IN TREES, WELL TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY CENTERLINE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A NOSE LOW, LEFT WING LOW, ATTITUDE. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PLT LICENSE, JUST 3 WKS PRIOR TO THE ACDNT.
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: 100 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,322 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 27, 1986; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S43 Snohomish WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,750 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2320J: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Beechcraft 23 147 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B 18 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Rocky Pond Airstrip Airport · nearest airport
- Harvey Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Washington 2,713 since 1982 · 362 in the last ten years
- Washington 10,568 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/SEA86FA207.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.