Piper PA18 accident near Copalis, Washington, March 30, 2019
On March 30, 2019 at about 7:56 pm local time, a 1952 Piper PA18, registered N215T, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Copalis, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An off-airport landing under circumstances that could not be determined based on the available information, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 2019 · about 7:56 pm local time
- Place
- Copalis, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 105 SPECIA, built 1952 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N215T · no longer on the register · serial 18-2329
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was the owner of the airplane, was conducting a personal cross-country flight to an airport that was a designated section of a sandy ocean beach. Most of the flight was conducted at an altitude of about 2,300 ft, and most of the underlying enroute terrain was inhospitable for landing. The pilot reported that, about 90 minutes into the flight, and 5 minutes after conducting a series of low altitude maneuvers and climbing to about 1,000 ft above the ground, the engine began running roughly and losing power. He said that he activated the carburetor heat, but that did not improve the situation, and he landed the airplane on a logging road in a forest clearing, during which the airplane impacted stumps and debris, resulting in substantial damage. Examination revealed that the airplane was destroyed by fire. There was no evidence of any pre-impact failures or malfunctions. Fire and impact damage prevented determination of the pre-accident condition or functionality of any of the engine components, or of the engine itself. Temperature and dew point values from an airport located about 9.5 miles from the accident site on a graph of carburetor icing potential indicated the potential for serious icing at cruise power. The altitude, speed, and ground track traces of the approach to the logging road, which included level-offs and speed increases, were consistent with a normal traffic pattern flown with an engine developing sufficient power for the entirety of the approach. The fact that both propeller blades were damaged, as well as their damage patterns, also indicated that the engine was developing power. Based on the available information, the circumstances under which the pilot conducted the off-airport landing could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 145 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 58 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 11, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,371 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,499 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 687 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PUL Puyallup WA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: S16 Copalis WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HQM, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
18 documents, released by the NTSB on November 3, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.