Dassault Aviation Falcon 900EX accident near PO, January 16, 2003
On January 16, 2003, a Dassault Aviation Falcon 900EX, registered N11WM, was involved in an accident near PO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The aircraft's encounter with moderate turbulence in cruise.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2003
- Place
- , PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault Aviation Falcon 900EX · all Falcon 900EXs on the register
- Registration
- N11WM · registry record · serial 058
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Dassault Aviation Falcon 900EX, crewed by two airline transport rated pilots, and accompanied by four passengers, had departed Boeing Field, Seattle, Washington, en route to Honolulu International airport, Honolulu, Hawaii. The aircraft climbed to FL 340 and was then cleared to FL 360 as it progressed along airway A332. As the flight proceeded, it encountered intermittent light to occasionally moderate turbulence and the crew made repeated requests for a higher altitude through Air Traffic Control, but the requests were not approved. A little more than half way into the flight, the aircraft's track began to converge obliquely with a cold frontal system extending southwest through the Hawaiian Islands, and the aircraft encountered headwinds of more than 100 knots approximately 30 degrees right of the aircraft's track. Approximately 4 hours 17 minutes into the flight, the aircraft was operating in the tops of clouds with good visibility when a passenger and her attendant left their seats to use the lavatory located in the rear of the aircraft. During this time the aircraft encountered moderate turbulence for a period of ten seconds or less and the attendant sustained a fractured ankle. Immediately following the event the crew requested and received approval for a climb to FL 370.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 12,606 hours in all; 432 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 9,331 as pilot in command; 2,090 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,126 hours in all; 1,052 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 1,744 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 11, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 898 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 11, 2002; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 49,200 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell (Garrett) TFE 731-60-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell (Garrett) TFE 731-60-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Honeywell (Garrett) TFE 731-60-1C (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pistol Creek Financial Co.
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 8:26 pm
- Destination: HNL Honolulu HI
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 235° at 127 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Temperature: -67°F (-55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA03LA029.