Piper PA-22-135 accident near Leavenworth, Washington, July 9, 1994
On July 9, 1994 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-135, registered N3645A, was destroyed in an accident near Leavenworth, Washington (Lake Wenatchee State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE RUNWAY CONDITION (WITH AREAS OF SOFT OR UNEVEN TERRAIN AND TALL GRASS), AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1994 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Leavenworth, Washington · Lake Wenatchee State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N3645A · no longer on the register · serial 22-1905
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF FROM A ROUGH TURF AIRSTRIP THAT WAS 2400' IN LENGTH. THE RUNWAY HAD AREAS OF SOFT DIRT INTERSPERSED WITH AREAS OF GRASS THAT RANGED FROM 1 TO 8 INCHES IN HEIGHT. DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE TREES WERE ABOUT 75' TALL; IMPACT OCCURRED ABOUT 50' ABOVE THE GROUND. CALCULATIONS SHOWED THAT THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4700', AND THAT WITH THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS, ABOUT 2213' TO 2616' OF RUNWAY WOULD HAVE BEEN NEEDED FOR THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN.
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: 240 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: WA32 Lake Wenatchee WA at 8:20 pm
- Destination: S43 Snohomish WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.