Piper PA18 accident near Malheur City, Oregon, November 13, 1999
On November 13, 1999 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Piper PA18, registered N82553, was destroyed in an accident near Malheur City, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's excessive descent rate during an attempted precautionary landing. Factors include the pilot's intentional operation of his aircraft with a known electrical system deficiency, a malfunction of the electrical system while in flight, the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from an electrical transmission line while attempting a precautionary landing, and rough terrain conditions at the location where the landing was attempted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 1999 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Malheur City, Oregon
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18 · all PA18s on the register
- Registration
- N82553 · no longer on the register · serial 18-7909005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
For about two months prior to the accident, the aircraft's electrical system had been operating improperly and failing to charge the battery. Although two maintenance shops had attempted to correct the problem, as of the date of the accident, the system was still not functioning correctly. During this two-month period, the pilot had continued to operate the aircraft, turning on the master switch only during engine start and for brief periods of radio transmission. On the day of the accident, he turned on the master switch to start the engine, and then not realizing that he had not turned it off, headed for his destination. About 10 minutes after takeoff, the pilot smelled what he thought was either smoke or fumes from a malfunctioning heater, and elected to make a precautionary landing. While attempting to land in an open area near a county road, the aircraft collided with a power line that the pilot was trying to go under in order to get to the point where he wanted to touch down. After hitting the power line, and with the fumes getting stronger, the pilot tried to get the aircraft on the ground as quickly as possible. As a result, the aircraft touched down at an excessive descent rate, and both main gear collapsed. Immediately after exiting the aircraft, the pilot noticed a small fire in the right wing root. He elected not to approach the aircraft to attempt to put out the fire, and it was eventually consumed by the flames.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 3,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1999; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Crowley Ranch OR at 7:10 pm
- Destination: ONO Ontario OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.