Piper PA-46-310P accident near Seattle, Washington, December 1, 1990
On December 1, 1990 at about 9:30 am local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N437OZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seattle, Washington. 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 AIRSPEED WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH UNDER INSTRUMENT METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND ENTER A SPIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 1990 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N437OZ · no longer on the register · serial 46-8408073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-46-310P ATTEMPTED TO OVERRIDE HIS AUTOPILOT DURING A LOCALIZER INTERCEPT. HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN, MISIDENTFYING IT AS THE LANDING GEAR HORN. HE STATED THAT HE THEN LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT THEN STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN. DURING HIS SPIN RECOVERY ATTEMPT, HE BROKE OUT INTO VISUAL CONDITIONS. HE REENTERED THE CLOUDS AND WAS VECTORED FOR A SECOND ILS APPROACH, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE UPPER WING SKINS ON BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN WRINKLED DURING THE EVENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 846 hours in all; 311 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 589 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.