Piper PA-28-235 accident near Seattle, Washington, December 11, 1994
On December 11, 1994 at about 3:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N2VZ, was destroyed in an accident near Seattle, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL EXHAUSTION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL EN ROUTE. FACTORS INCLUDE A DARK NIGHT AND DITCHING IN THE WATERS OF PUGET SOUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1994 · about 3:15 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N2VZ · registry record · serial 28-11130
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DITCHED IN PUGET SOUND DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN FOR A LITTLE OVER FIVE HOURS AND WAS REPORTED BY WITNESSES TO HAVE BEEN HEAVILY LOADED WHEN IT WAS OBSERVED TAXIING BEFORE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT'S FIRST ATTEMPT AT AN APPROACH AT HIS DESTINATION WAS UNSECCESSFUL, AND HE WAS BEING VECTORED FOR A SECOND ATTEMPT WHEN HE REPORTED THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. ACCORDING TO PERFORMANCE FIGURES PROVIDED BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN LESS THAN FIVE GALLONS OF FUEL DISTRIBUTED BETWEEN THE AIRCRAFT'S FOUR TANKS AT THE TIME OF THE LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE HAD SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP, BUT THE ENGINE APPARENTLY DID NOT REGAIN POWER, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN THE WATERS OF PUGET SOUND. THE PILOT'S BODY WAS RECOVERED THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT; THE PASSENGER'S BODY AND THE AIRCRAFT WERE NOT RECOVERED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 10:07 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from BFI, 11 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.