Piper PA-28-181 accident near Bremerton, Washington, March 16, 2008
On March 16, 2008 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N2823L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Bremerton, Washington (Bremerton National Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while taxiing. A contributing factor was the control interference on the rudder pedals created by the pilot's footwear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2008 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bremerton, Washington · Bremerton National Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N2823L · no longer on the register · serial 28-7990476
- 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 taxiing to his hangar after a local flight. As he taxied, he noticed a pickup truck parked in front of a hangar, which required him to deviate left to maintain taxi clearance. During his manipulating the rudder pedals to steer the airplane, his left foot got caught on something, and the airplane veered 180 degrees left. The airplane impacted a hangar denting the outer 3 feet of the left wing to the spar, damaging the aileron near the inboard hinge, and separating the wing root from the fuselage by approximately 1 inch. The pilot said he was wearing hiking boots and he believes they impeded his ability to manipulate the rudder pedals.
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
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (from runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Residence/building › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 287 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,685 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWT Bremerton WA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PWT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from PWT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.