Piaggio P.180 accident near Georgetown, Texas, December 18, 2017
On December 18, 2017 at about 1:45 pm local time, a 2007 Piaggio P.180, registered N141JT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Georgetown, Texas (Georgetown Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing and the right main landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2017 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Texas · Georgetown Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piaggio P.180, built 2007
- Registration
- N141JT · no longer on the register · serial 1141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he was flying the RNAV GPS runway 36 approach in 3 miles visibility and that the wind was from 070° at 9 knots. He sighted the runway at 50 ft above the missed approach point. He said the airplane was slightly right of the runway centerline and that there was a right crosswind. When the right main landing gear (MLG) contacted the runway, it collapsed. The airplane then exited the right side of the runway onto the grass median about 1,000 ft from the end of the runway, and the airplane then came to a stop and the right main landing gear (MLG) to collapse. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane had landed hard, which resulted in the right MLG collapsing. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have resulted in the landing gear collapse.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Other weather encounter during approach
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 19,811 hours in all; 812 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 19,631 as pilot in command; 1,412 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 14, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 22, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 12,100 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitnet PT6A-660 (turboprop); 4,643 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-660 (turboprop); 6,425 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KADS Dallas TX at 1:20 pm
- Destination: KGTU Georgetown TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,004 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KGTU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | E-mails from FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | RNAV (GPS) Rwy 36, Georgetown, Tx | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.