Piaggio Aero Industries S.P.A. Avanti P-180 accident near Battle Mountain, Nevada, December 7, 2007
On December 7, 2007 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piaggio Aero Industries S.P.A. Avanti P-180, registered CGPIA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Battle Mountain, Nevada (Battle Mountain airport). It was a business 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 flight crew's failure to follow published procedures/directives in the Pilot's Operating Handbook during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2007 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Battle Mountain, Nevada · Battle Mountain · 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 Aero Industries S.P.A. Avanti P-180
- Registration
- CGPIA · no longer on the register · serial 1072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the flight crew engaged the nose wheel steering just below 60 knots indicated airspeed, and the airplane made an abrupt left turn. The crew attempted to correct the turn, but were unsuccessful. The airplane completed a 180-degree turn, and slid backwards down the runway before it departed the left side of the pavement. The right main landing gear collapsed after sinking in soft mud. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, right aileron, and the fuselage. Examination of the nose gear steering system, hydraulics, brakes, and rudder system by an FAA airworthiness inspector, and a representative from the airplane's manufacturer, found no mechanical anomalies. The Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) states that "Steering engagement during landing is prohibited." The POH requires that the nose wheel steering be disengaged at or before 60 knots during the takeoff. During the interview with the pilots, they said they were unaware of the prohibition against engaging the nose wheel steering during landing. They noted that because the steering system is used up to 60 knots during takeoff, they assumed that the nose gear steering was to be engaged after touchdown during the landing roll, while slowing through 60 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,834 hours in all; 773 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,250 as pilot in command; 645 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,465 hours in all; 342 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 421 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 690 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 1, 2007; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,550 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-66 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 4:19 pm
- Destination: BAM Battle Mountain NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 03, 7,299 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:56 pm from WMC, 46 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.