Piper PA-23-180 accident near Gold Bar, Washington, January 30, 1992
On January 30, 1992 at about 5:43 am local time, a Piper PA-23-180, registered CFDFV, was destroyed in an accident near Gold Bar, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT BECOMING INADVERTENTLY LOST/DISORIENTED. THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1992 · about 5:43 am local time
- Place
- Gold Bar, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-180 · all PA-23-180s on the register
- Registration
- CFDFV · no longer on the register · serial 23-1924
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-23-180 DEPARTED THE CONTROLLED FIELD FOR A FLIGHT TO A DESTINATION WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY THIRTY MINUTES NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE FLIGHT, WHICH HAD BEEN DELAYED FOR WEATHER, DEPARTED AFTER DARK. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, THE PLANNED ROUTE WAS FORECAST TO HAVE OCCASIONAL RAIN SHOWERS AND VARIABLE CEILINGS. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT HEADED NORTH TOWARD HIS DESTINATION, AND OPENED HIS VFR FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A SLOW RIGHT TURN TO AN EASTERLY HEADING, AND CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL FOR FLIGHT FOLLOWING. AFTER BEING GIVEN A DISCRETE TRANSPONDER CODE, THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WOULD BE PROCEEDING NORTH AT WHATEVER ALTITUDE WOULD KEEP HIM OUT OF THE CLOUDS. BUT, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO FLY IN AN EASTERLY TO NORTHEASTERLY DIRECTION, AND IMPACTED A MOUNTAIN RIDGE APPROXIMATELY SIX MINUTES AFTER THE INITIAL CONTACT WITH APPROACH CONTROL. PRIOR TO IMPACT THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRCRAFT, OR WITH NAVIGATION.
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, commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,654 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1991; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviate Air
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 5:28 am
- Destination: WA33 Lynden WA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 am from PAE, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.