Skagit Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burlington, Washington 98273
Thursday, September 13, 2007 9:51 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While executing an instrument approach in weather conditions that included a one-quarter mile visibility and an overcast ceiling 100 feet above ground level, and while one and one-half mile from the approach end of the runway, the pilot descended about 430 feet below the minimum descent altitude for the approach. After descending to that altitude, the airplane's left wing impacted a tree situated below the final approach course.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's decision to descend below the published minimum descent altitude (MDA), and his failure to maintain clearance from vertical objects during an instrument approach. Contributing to the accident were low ceilings, inadequate preflight planning, and trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/13/2007
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 951
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Burlington
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98273
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 482936N
Event Location Longitude 1222718W
Event Location Airport Skagit Regional
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KBVS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 144
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1010 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID KBVS
Elevation of weather observation facility 144
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.01
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24193
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 3:01PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Seattle FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1811Q
NTSB Number SEA07FA262
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model A-36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number EA-239
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2208
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Textana Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Havre
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59501
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name John O. Brown
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Havre
Operator State MT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 59501
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KHVR
Departure City Havre
Departure State MT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KBVS
Destination City Burlington
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker to threshold (IFR)
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 28 2008 1:23AM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 5477
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --