Piper PA-28-181 accident near Seattle, Washington, September 20, 2004
On September 20, 2004 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N43779, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington (Boeing Field/King County Int.). 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 failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the parked airplane while taxiing. A factor contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2004 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Boeing Field/King County Int. · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- 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
- N43779 · registry record · serial 28-7890014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Not familiar with the area where his airplane was parked, the pilot reviewed the airport diagram and taxiways. Still unfamiliar with the taxiway entrances, he elected to maneuver through the parking area and then request access to the taxiway. As he taxied toward the taxiway entrance, and noticing another airplane parked close to his taxi path, he braked to avoid the airplane. As a result of applying too much left brake, the outboard section of the airplane's left wing sustained structural damage after impacting the parked airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 718 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 632 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,950.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 14,982 ft; scat at 5,482 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from BFI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.