Piper PA-38-112 accident near Ontario, Oregon, February 4, 2007
On February 4, 2007 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9670T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ontario, Oregon (Owyhee Reservoir State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain and maintain an airspeed above Vs after lifting off of a remote gravel airstrip. Factors include the pilot's failure to correctly understand the procedure to use for a soft-field takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2007 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ontario, Oregon · Owyhee Reservoir State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9670T · no longer on the register · serial 78A0154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft descended into a reservoir off the departure end of the runway during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot held the control yoke in the full aft position during the entire takeoff roll. Due to the position of the control yoke, the aircraft used considerably more runway than it would have if the yoke had been in the near-neutral position. After lifting off approximately 1,600 feet down the 1,840 foot runway, the aircraft traveled about 300 more feet before settling into a reservoir that was just off the departure end of the runway. There was no report of any engine or flight control problem.
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: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 28U Ontario OR
- Destination: KEUL Caldwell ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 1,840 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.