# NTSB WPR23LA205: Piaggio Aero Industries P180, N327A, Sugar Land, TX, May 27, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: May 27, 2023, 15:17 local (20:17 UTC)
- Place: Sugar Land, TX
- Coordinates: 29.617273, -95.656082
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6173&lon=-95.6561&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 8 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA Houston FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 192276
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR23LA205
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192276/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192276
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA205

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to complete required preflight checklist items and properly configure the flaps for takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Action: forgotten action/omission](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piaggio Aero Industries P180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md?model=6960206), [All aircraft, 440 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041035/cases.md)
- [Flight control system: tE flap control system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not used/operated (probable cause); cases with it: [Piaggio Aero Industries P180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750/cases.md?model=6960206), [All aircraft, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022750/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: use of checklist](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piaggio Aero Industries P180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md?model=6960206), [All aircraft, 336 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063030/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490) (defining event); cases with it: [Piaggio Aero Industries P180, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md?model=6960206), [All aircraft, 1,309 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that during the takeoff roll, shortly after rotation, he cycled the gear up. The airplane then descended and contacted the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The flap control lever and the flaps were found in the “UP” position following the accident. Review of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) directed the flaps to be set to MID during the before taxi check and to check flaps MID during the before takeoff check. The AFM ALSO stated, in part, “No takeoff authorized without flaps, or with non-symmetrical flap configuration or annunciated flap asymmetry.” The pilot said he could not recall setting the flaps to “MID” position prior to takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N327A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N327A), registered now, S/N 1158, built 2008 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIAGGIO AERO INDUSTRIES SPA P180
- Registry model: [Piaggio Aero Industries P180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piaggio-aero-industries-p180) (registry code 6960206) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-66B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-66b) (registry code 52287, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1158
- Year built: 2008
- Engines: P&W CANADA PT6A-66B 800 horsepower turbo prop; P&W CANADA PT6A-66B 800 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: D & S Mafco LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: MMSL, Cabo San Lucas, OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: SGR, Sugar Land Rgnl, runway 17, 8,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; private, commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 20, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 4,595 total, 1,557 in this make and model, 4,186 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 39 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 87 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: sgr

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20230527007199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230527007199A), May 27, 2023: Piaggio Aero Industries Spa P180, Sugar Land, TX, Substantial damage. During takeoff rotation the aircraft climbed approximately 5 feet before the gear retracted and the aircraft settled back on the runway. Consequintly, the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 1, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192276. 10.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 7.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15715480&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N327A%20NTSB%20Form%206120%20Christopher%20A.%20Ray%20-%20Completed%202023-06-19_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15734294&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20N327A%20Narrative%20of%20Flight%20-%20Executed_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos for WPR23LA205 (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15735489&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20for%20WPR23LA205-Rel.pdf
- P180 AFM excerpts (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 747 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16550342&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=P180%20AFM%20Excerpts-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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