Piper PA-24-180 accident near Hillsboro, Oregon, May 23, 1999
On May 23, 1999 at about 11:34 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N6017P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Oregon (Portland-Hillsboro airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loose alternator drive belt, and the flight crew's decision to continue flight with a known electrical system deficiency, resulting in disabling of the aircraft electrical system and landing with the gear not down-and-locked.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1999 · about 11:34 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Oregon · Portland-Hillsboro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6017P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported noting a discharge indication on the aircraft's ammeter during flight. Despite being unable to restore a positive charge indication, the crew (a pilot undergoing a flight review and her flight instructor) elected to continue the flight. The aircraft lost electrical power on approach to the airport, and the aircraft's landing gear collapsed on landing. Although the crew reported they observed a gear-down indication prior to the loss of electrical power, a witness who observed the aircraft from a vantage point near the approach end of the runway reported that the aircraft's landing gear was not fully extended on final. The aircraft has electrically actuated retractable landing gear. A post-accident examination of the aircraft's electrical system disclosed a normally functioning alternator, an aircraft bus voltage of 11.35 volts when energized with the aircraft battery (nominally 12 volts), and a loose alternator drive belt.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,032 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 754 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1998; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,049 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from HIO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N6017P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.