Piper PA-31-350 N40ST

Summary

On 11 July 2006 at about 00:35 local time, a Piper PA-31-350 registered N40ST, operated by Airpac Airlines, was involved in an accident near Easton, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2006 at 00:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Easton, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.2483, -121.1786

Aircraft

Piper PA-31-350

Registration

N40ST

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Airpac Airlines

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Seattle

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA06FA139

1 person died.

The loss of power in both engines for undetermined reasons while in cruise flight, leading to an attempted forced landing. Factors include unfavorable winds at the site of the forced landing, and trees off the approach end of the grass runway the pilot was attempting to land on.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While cruising en route in VFR conditions, the aircraft lost power on both engines. The pilot attempted an emergency forced landing at a nearby unpaved State airport, but after encountering a 20 mph tailwind on downwind and a 20 mph headwind on final, the aircraft impacted a tall conifer tree while about one-half mile from the approach end of the runway. The reason for the dual engine power loss was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.