Piper PA-28-180 accident near Eatonville, Washington, September 17, 1999
On September 17, 1999 at about 1:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7832N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eatonville, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate inflight planning/preparation and terrain clearance not maintained. Mountainous terrain, cloudy conditions and delayed remedial action are factors
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1999 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Eatonville, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7832N · no longer on the register · serial 28-5286
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while en route during the VFR flight, he got off course and encountered rising terrain that was covered by clouds. The pilot attempted a course reversal, however, about half-way through the turn the aircraft collided with several trees on up-sloping terrain. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time of the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,470 hours in all; 283 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,365 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,171 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1999; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNT Renton WA at 1:05 am
- Destination: SPB Scappoose OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from OLM, 28 miles away
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.