Piper PA-18-150 accident near Hyampom, California, July 12, 1998
On July 12, 1998 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N6248R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hyampom, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate annual inspection that resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to a missing bolt, nut, and cotter pin from the throttle/carburetor assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1998 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hyampom, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6248R · registry record · serial 188320
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the airplane made a climbout over mountainous terrain. After clearing the terrain, the pilot reduced the power and descended into an open valley. Approximately 1,800 feet above the ground level, he advanced the throttle, but did not receive an increase in engine power. The pilot declared an emergency and attempted to land on a narrow gravel bar next to a river. The main landing gear skimmed over the water and up onto the gravel bar edge. The left main gear sunk into the soft gravel at the waters edge and the aircraft came to rest inverted on the gravel bar. The pilot stated that an annual inspection had been performed 11 days prior to the accident, and the airplane had accumulated 3 flight hours since the inspection. He further reported that when he inspected the throttle cable assembly, following the accident, he noted that it had become detached from the carburetor throttle arm due to a missing bolt, nut, and cotter pin. The FAA was unable to verify that those components were missing as the pilot had repaired and ferried the aircraft to another location.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 192 hours in all; 192 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 144 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,486 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q75 at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from ACV, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N6248R 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.