Piper PA-44-180 accident near Seattle, Washington, December 1, 2011
On December 1, 2011 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N2163N, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Seattle, Washington (Boeing Field/King County Inter). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2011 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Seattle, Washington · Boeing Field/King County Inter · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N2163N · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995222
- 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 that, shortly after the student pilot conducted the takeoff, she noticed an uncommanded yaw, and she then took control of the airplane. The flight instructor started to land straight ahead, lowered the nose, and reduced power, but then she decided that insufficient runway remained to land, so she initiated a go-around. The airplane rolled sharply right and then descended in an uncontrolled inverted attitude, impacted the ground, and struck a parked airplane. The airplane fuselage and wings were substantially damaged from impact and partially consumed by the postcrash fire. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,996 hours in all; 517 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 1,905 as pilot in command; 1,601 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 2, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 29, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 27, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LO-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hillsboro Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: BFI Seattle WA at 3:30 am
- Destination: PDX Portland OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31R, 3,710 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.76 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from BFI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.