Two Killed After 1976 Piper Cub Crashes in Washington State En Route From Penticton to Grangeville
Why It MattersLight-aircraft losses in remote terrain show that search outcomes hinge on last-known radar data and ground-based tracing, while accident causation stays unsettled for a year or more after the event.
What happened
A 1976 Piper Cub crashed in mountainous terrain in Washington state while flying from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada, to Grangeville, Idaho. Two men died. The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said the wreckage was located on Sunday, 11 October 2026, a day after the aircraft was reported missing.
The victims were identified as pilot Nicholas Grachanin, 61, and passenger Jim Merik, 50. Both were found dead inside the aircraft at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time in Aeneas Valley near Tonasket, in Okanogan County. Their families were notified following the discovery.
The aircraft departed Penticton on Saturday, 10 October. During the flight, Grachanin lost communication with Seattle Center air traffic control. His daughter then contacted the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office to report the aircraft and its occupants missing.
WSDOT Aviation Emergency Services began a search on Saturday evening, initially concentrating on the aircraft's last known radar positions between Oroville and Okanogan. Search teams also used cell-phone forensic information to help identify potential search areas. No distress signals were received overnight.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating. NTSB spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said the aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances in mountainous terrain. Investigators are expected to document the crash site, examine the wreckage and recover the aircraft to a secure facility for further evaluation. No aircraft operator or company affiliation has been confirmed in the official information released so far.
How it unfolded
The wreckage is located in Aeneas Valley near Tonasket; both occupants are found dead inside the aircraft.
WSDOT Aviation Emergency Services begins a search, focusing on the last known radar positions between Oroville and Okanogan and using cell-phone forensic information.
Pilot Nicholas Grachanin loses communication with Seattle Center air traffic control; his daughter contacts the Okanogan County Sheriff's Office to report the aircraft missing.
The Piper Cub departs Penticton, British Columbia, bound for Grangeville, Idaho.
Industry impact & what to watch
Single-engine light aircraft on cross-border backcountry routes sit largely outside the monitoring that airline and corporate operations take for granted. In this case the search was steered by two things: the aircraft's last known radar positions and phone-based forensic data. That combination is typical of how missing light aircraft in mountainous terrain are found when no distress signal is received.
The cause has not been established, and authorities have not publicly confirmed what led to the loss of communication. The NTSB's inquiry will cover flight-tracking data, air traffic control communications, maintenance records, pilot experience and weather, so any finding on cause depends on that evidence rather than on the circumstances of the loss of contact alone.
The next dated milestone is the NTSB preliminary report, expected within 30 days of the accident. The final report, including probable cause and any contributing factors, may take 12 to 24 months.
