Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Seattle, Washington 98188
Saturday, December 1, 1990 1:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-46-310P ATTEMPTED TO OVERRIDE HIS AUTOPILOT DURING A LOCALIZER INTERCEPT. HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN, MISIDENTFYING IT AS THE LANDING GEAR HORN. HE STATED THAT HE THEN LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT THEN STALLED AND ENTERED A SPIN. DURING HIS SPIN RECOVERY ATTEMPT, HE BROKE OUT INTO VISUAL CONDITIONS. HE REENTERED THE CLOUDS AND WAS VECTORED FOR A SECOND ILS APPROACH, WHICH WAS SUCCESSFUL. THE UPPER WING SKINS ON BOTH WINGS WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN WRINKLED DURING THE EVENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE ON AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH UNDER INSTRUMENT METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT STALLING AND ENTER A SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/1/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 130
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SEATTLE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98188
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 18
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1165
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 5 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42490
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N437OZ
NTSB Number SEA91LA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46-310P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46-310P
Aircraft Serial Number 46-8408073
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID S WEISS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16650 NE 89TH ST
Operator City REDMOND
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98052
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PDX
Departure City PORTLAND
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 2400
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --