Piper PA-32-300 accident near Snohomish, Washington, June 4, 2022
On June 4, 2022 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA-32-300, registered N561PK, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Snohomish, Washington (Harvey Fld 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
The total loss of engine power during takeoff due to fuel starvation and the pilot’s improper fuel tank selection and inadequate preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2022 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Snohomish, Washington · Harvey Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300, built 1973 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N561PK · registry record · serial 32-7340124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he had flown about 10 minutes from one airport to another and, after landing, the engine “hiccuped” like it was it was losing power and then “revved up.” The pilot turned the fuel pump off and back on, and the engine seemed to clear up. The pilot performed an uneventful engine runup and elected to conduct a short-field takeoff. As the airplane climbed through about 700 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine began to surge, followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to land on a nearby road; however, he realized he was unable to reach it and instead landed in an open field, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine mount. The pilot reported that before the flight, the owner of the airplane sent him a text message telling him that the fuel selector valve was on the left tip tank. The pilot didn’t believe that to be an issue; however, he could not remember if he put the selector valve on the left main fuel tank or not. The owner of the airplane estimated that the left tip tank had about 4 gallons of fuel in it when he put the airplane in the hangar. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. During the examination, the left-wing auxiliary fuel tank was found void of fuel. It’s likely that while the pilot conducted his preflight, he inadvertently positioned the fuel selector to the left wing tip tank position.
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 with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Fuel starvation during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine sea
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,672 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KPAE, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPAE 042053Z 24010KT 10SM FEW120 18/09 A2972 RMK AO2 SLP062 T01830089 58013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 28, 2024. 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.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Owner of the Airplane | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Airframe and Engine Examination Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
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.