Piper PA-20 accident near Chelan, Washington, August 28, 1987
On August 28, 1987 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N6901K, was destroyed in an accident near Chelan, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- August 28, 1987 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Chelan, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N6901K · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED MAKING A ENGINE OUT LANDING AT HIS PRIVATE GRASS/DIRT STRIP. THE DIRT STRIP IS LOCATED ON A PLATEAU WITH THE RUNWAY STARTING AT THE EDGE OF THE PLATEAU. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE BELOW THE RUNWAY LEVEL ON A HEADING PERPENDICULAR TO THE RUNWAY. THE MAGNETO SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. WITNESSES REPORTED THE PILOT HAD PRACTICED DEAD ENG LANDINGS AT THE AIRSTRIP BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: 2,372 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,168 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1984; 194 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from EAT, 29 miles away
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.