- Date
- September 20, 2004, 15:35 local (22:35 UTC)
- Place
- Seattle, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N43779Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 24, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20040920035529A
- Case key
- 60261
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the parked airplane while taxiing. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Not familiar with the area where his airplane was parked, the pilot reviewed the airport diagram and taxiways. Still unfamiliar with the taxiway entrances, he elected to maneuver through the parking area and then request access to the taxiway. As he taxied toward the taxiway entrance, and noticing another airplane parked close to his taxi path, he braked to avoid the airplane. As a result of applying too much left brake, the outboard section of the airplane's left wing sustained structural damage after impacting the parked airplane.
Factual narrative
On September 20, 2004, at 1535 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N43779, sustained substantial damage while taxiing for takeoff at the Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI), Seattle, Washington. The airplane is registered to Wings Aircraft LLC of Snohomish, Washington, and operated by Puget Sound Aviators of Seattle, Washington. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned personal flight, which was to be operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that he was not familiar with the area where his airplane was parked. After reviewing the airport diagram and taxiways, he noted that taxiway Bravo 8 (B8) at BFI was a marked entrance to the taxiway [taxiway B]. The pilot stated that as he was unfamiliar with other taxiway entrances (unmarked entrances), he chose to maneuver through the parking area to request entrance to [the] taxiway [at] B8. The pilot further stated that he turned left out of his parking area and proceeded north toward B8, but "...noted another aircraft parked close to my left leading edge." The pilot reported that as he approached to pass the other airplane he applied braking, being concerned that he had misjudged his clearance. The pilot stated, "In doing so I applied too much left brake, striking my left wing's leading edge with the parked aircraft."
A post accident examination revealed that the outboard section of the left wing had sustained structural damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N43779
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7890014
- Airframe hours
- 3,950.5
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Puget Sound Aviators
- Registered owner
- Wings Aircraft LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 2004
- Departed
- BFI · Seattle, WA
- Destination
- BFI · Seattle, WA
- Airport
- BFI · Boeing Field/King County Int.
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 24, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 718 total · 23 in this make and model · 632 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 14,982 ft broken
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- BFI
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.