Piper PA-28-180 N56759

Summary

On 30 June 1989 at about 18:55 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N56759, operated by Airways Sheetmetal, Inc., was involved in an accident near Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 June 1989 at 18:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Snoqualmie Pass, Washington, United States

Coordinates

47.4193, -121.3694

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N56759

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Airways Sheetmetal, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Nanaimo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA89LA127

2 people were seriously injured.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DESCISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERING A BOX CANYON WITH INSUFFICIENT SPEED AND ALTITUDE TO MANEUVER OUT OF THE CONFINED AREA. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS OVER THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS, WHICH THE ACFT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO OUTCLIMB. HE ELECTED TO DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS & FOLLOW AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THROUGH A PASS. HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED A BOX CANYON. WHILE MANEUVERING TO REVERSE COURSE, THE AIRCRAFT MUSHED INTO TREES. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED VFR FLT CONDITIONS IN THE PASS. A WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION (THAT WAS PREVIOUSLY IN THE PASS) HAD BEEN CLOSED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.