Beech 58 FOXSTAR accident near Shaw Island, Washington, October 24, 1994
On October 24, 1994 at about 3:45 am local time, a Beech 58 FOXSTAR, registered N333KS, was destroyed in an accident near Shaw Island, Washington (Private Strip (Unnamed) airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO TAKE OFF ON AN UNLIGHTED RUNWAY, AND THE UNEVEN RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1994 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Shaw Island, Washington · Private Strip (Unnamed) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 FOXSTAR · all 58 FOXSTARs on the register
- Registration
- N333KS · no longer on the register · serial TH-300
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT IN A BEECH 58 THAT HAD RECEIVED A SUPPLEMENTAL TYPE CERTIFICATE (STC) FOR A COLEMILL ENTERPRISE 'FOXSTAR' CONVERSION. THE TAKEOFF WAS ON AN UNLIGHTED, UNEVEN, SHORT, PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. THE OWNER OF THE AIRSTRIP HEARD THE AIRPLANE AND SAID THE TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED FROM THE NORTH END WITH PARTIAL POWER. HE REPORTED THAT ABOUT 5 SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINES SOUNDED LIKE THEY WERE AT FULL POWER AND THAT THEY SOUNDED NORMAL UNTIL THE PLANE CRASHED. IMPACT OCCURRED ABOUT 100' EAST AND 225' NORTH OF THE SOUTHERN RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE PLANE HAD STALLED AND CRASHED IN A STEEP DESCENT. THE LEADING EDGES OF BOTH WINGS EXHIBITED 'ACCORDION' CRUSH DAMAGE, AND TREES NEXT TO THE IMPACT POINT WERE UNDAMAGED. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN A RETRACTED POSITION, AND THE GEAR WAS FOUND EXTENDED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCY WAS FOUND. A TOXICOLOGY TEST (AT CAMI) SHOWED THE PILOT'S BLOOD HAD AN ETHANOL LEVEL OF 98 MG/ML (0.098%), BUT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF POSTMORTEM ETHANOL PRODUCTION. A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED A LOW LEVEL OF BENZOYLECGONINE (0.272 UG/ML). ALSO, CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND PSEUDOEPHEDRINE (OVER-THE-COUNTER ANTIHISTAMINES) WERE DETECTED IN THE PILOT'S BLOOD, URINE, AND LIVER FLUID, BUT AT LEVELS THAT WOULD NOT HAVE RESULTED IN IMPAIRMENT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 818 hours in all; 257 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,533 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 2, 1994; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BLI Bellingham WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 am from BLI, 22 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.