Piper PA-28-140 accident near Crescent Lake, Oregon, March 6, 2007
On March 6, 2007, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5547F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crescent Lake, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of a significant amount of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors include no suitable place in which to make an emergency landing, and densely forested, mountainous/hilly terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 6, 2007
- Place
- Crescent Lake, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5547F · no longer on the register · serial 24810
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was flying between 800 and 1,000 feet above the trees in mountainous/hilly terrain, decided to add power and start a climb up the valley he was in. Just as he added power, the aircraft's engine rpm dropped from about 2,300 to about 1,800 to 1,900 rpm. At that point, he applied full carburetor heat, moved the mixture to full rich, and checked to make sure the fuel selector was in the correct position. According to both the pilot and his passenger, these remedial actions did not help the situation, and the engine rpm stayed near 1,800 rpm. Because the terrain was rising and the aircraft could not maintain altitude, and because they were already very low, the pilot made the decision to attempt a forced landing in the densely forested snow-covered mountainous terrain. While attempting the landing, the aircraft struck a number of trees, and then impacted the snow-covered ground in an inverted position. A post-accident inspection of the airframe, systems, and engine did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact anomalies or malfunctions that would have precluded the engine from operating at full power.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 573 hours in all; 275 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 485 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,487 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2006; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KEUG Eugene OR at 11:15 pm
- Destination: KEUG Eugene OR
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KRDM, 55 miles away
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.