Piper PA-23-150 accident near Spanaway, Washington, February 19, 1996
On February 19, 1996, a Piper PA-23-150, registered N2237P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spanaway, Washington (Shady Acres airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to use all available runway, including the overrun area, to stop the airplane. Factors relating to the accident were: the wet runway, and the pilot's inability to see the overrun from the runway due to the sloping terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1996
- Place
- Spanaway, Washington · Shady Acres · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-150 · all PA-23-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2237P · no longer on the register · serial 23-846
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot attempted a landing on a wet, 1,600-foot-long runway. Performance charts from an owner's manual for the aircraft type indicated a nominal landing distance of approximately 600 to 680 feet depending on gross weight. The pilot stated that the aircraft 'continued at [the] same speed with little or no slowing' upon application of wheel brakes, and that 'as [the] end of [the] runway...approached [he] could not see what lay past [the] end of [the] runway.' The pilot stated that he then 'exited [the] paved runway onto grass with hopes of slowing [and] stopping [the aircraft] over a greater distance.' After the pilot departed the pavement, the aircraft went over an embankment after slowing to approximately 10 MPH and collided with trees. Aerial imagery of the airport in a state airport directory and photos taken by on-scene investigators showed a 600-foot-long overrun area beyond the end of the runway; however, the overrun was not visible from the runway due to the slope of the terrain.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,032 hours in all; 1,129 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,892 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,711 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1995; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Mckenna WA
- Destination: WA61
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 1,600 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.