Piaggio Aero Industries Spa P180 accident near Sugar Land, Texas, May 27, 2023
On May 27, 2023 at about 8:17 pm local time, a 2008 Piaggio Aero Industries Spa P180, registered N327A, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Sugar Land, Texas (Sugar Land Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to complete required preflight checklist items and properly configure the flaps for takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2023 · about 8:17 pm local time
- Place
- Sugar Land, Texas · Sugar Land Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piaggio Aero Industries Spa P180, built 2008 · all P180s on the register
- Registration
- N327A · registry record · serial 1158
- 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 during the takeoff roll, shortly after rotation, he cycled the gear up. The airplane then descended and contacted the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The flap control lever and the flaps were found in the “UP” position following the accident. Review of the Airplane Flight Manual (AFM) directed the flaps to be set to MID during the before taxi check and to check flaps MID during the before takeoff check. The AFM ALSO stated, in part, “No takeoff authorized without flaps, or with non-symmetrical flap configuration or annunciated flap asymmetry.” The pilot said he could not recall setting the flaps to “MID” position prior to takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › TE flap control system › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,595 hours in all; 1,557 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 4,186 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 20, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
Passenger
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 12,150 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6A-66B (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6A-66B (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MMSL Cabo San Lucas OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 87°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 8:17 pm from sgr
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR23LA205.