WPR12LA051

NTSB accident investigation · Piper PA-44-180 · Seattle, WA · December 1, 2011

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
November 30, 2011, 19:30 local (Dec 1, 2011, 03:30 UTC)
Place
Seattle, WA
Injuries
2 minor
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N2163NPiper PA-44-180
Defining event
Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night
Status
Completed · report October 9, 2014
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
Western Pacific Region
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20111130027571A
Case key
82438

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 flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around.

Findings · 2

NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.

Performance/control parametersAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedPiper PA-44-180: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,269 casesProbable cause
Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilotPiper PA-44-180: 12 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Analysis

The flight instructor reported that, shortly after the student pilot conducted the takeoff, she noticed an uncommanded yaw, and she then took control of the airplane. The flight instructor started to land straight ahead, lowered the nose, and reduced power, but then she decided that insufficient runway remained to land, so she initiated a go-around. The airplane rolled sharply right and then descended in an uncontrolled inverted attitude, impacted the ground, and struck a parked airplane. The airplane fuselage and wings were substantially damaged from impact and partially consumed by the postcrash fire. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

On November 30, 2011, at 1930 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-44-180, N2163N, collided with the airport ramp shortly after takeoff and impacted a parked airplane at Boeing Field/King County International Airport (BFI), Seattle, Washington. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, Hillsboro Aviation under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight. The certified flight instructor and student pilot sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact damage and the post crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight, and a visual flight rules flight plan and had been filed. The airplane was departing for Portland-Hillsboro Airport (HIO), Portland, Oregon.The flight instructor reported that shortly after the airplane took off, she noticed an uncommanded yaw and took over flight control from the student. The flight instructor started to land straight ahead, lowered the nose and reduced power, but decided there was not enough remaining runway to land, and initiated a go-around. The instructor lost control of the airplane, which immediately rolled to the right and collided on the ramp inverted. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the wing section and spar box remained attached and that the empennage remained mostly undamaged. The forward cabin area was partially consumed by fired. Both engines and mounting assemblies were removed from the wing and exhibited fire damage. Flight control continuity was established, although the ailerons exhibited impact damage. The flaps were observed in a retracted position and an examination of the fuel system found no anomalies. Examination of both the left and right engines found thermal discoloration and damage although no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures were revealed that would have precluded normal operation. See the Engine/Airframe Examination report in the public docket. The flight instructor further stated that the engine did not sputter or run rough, and that the turn felt more like a hard roll than a yaw.

Aircraft

Registration
N2163N
Reported as
Piper PA-44-180
Category
Airplane
Serial number
44-7995222
Airframe hours
11,515
Engines
Lycoming LO-360-E1A6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming O-360-E1A6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Fire
On-Ground
Flight
Instructional · Part 91
Operator
Hillsboro Aviation Inc
Registered owner
Hillsboro Aviation Inc
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · November 27, 2011
Departed
BFI · Seattle, WA
Destination
PDX · Portland, OR
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
BFI · Boeing Field/King County Inter, runway 31R, 3,710 × 100 ft, asphalt

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 · 2

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Flight instructor
Age
33
Injuries
Minor
Certificates
Flight instructor, Commercial
Airplane ratings
Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
March 2, 2011
Seat
Right
Flight hours
1,996 total · 517 in this make and model · 1,905 as pilot in command · 158 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Role
Pilot
Age
22
Injuries
Minor
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
Last flight review
October 29, 2011
Seat
Left
Flight hours
170 total · 3 in this make and model · 110 as pilot in command · 66 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night
Wind
Calm
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
45 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
30.76 inHg
Observed at
BFI

Docket · 7

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.8 MB in all.

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.