Piper PA-24-250 accident near Cascade Locks, Oregon, November 20, 1982
On November 20, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8185P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cascade Locks, Oregon (Cascade Locks St. State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cascade Locks, Oregon · Cascade Locks St. State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8185P · no longer on the register · serial 243441
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 10000 FEET MSL, IN IMC CONDITIONS, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT POWER HAD BEEN LOST. DURING DESCENT TO 2000 FEET THE ENGINE RESTARTED AND FAILED SEVERAL TIMES BUT EVENTUALLY MAINTAINED IDLE THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE DESCENT. PORTLAND APPROACH CONTROL PROVIDED VECTORS TO THE PILOT DURING DESCENT AND THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT INTO LIGHT RAIN/SNOW AT 300 FEET AGL, AND 1000 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 06. DURING LANDING THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY SKIDDED THE AIRCRAFT, COLLAPSING THE GEAR, TO PREVENT THE AIRCRAFT FROM OVER RUNNING. THE PILOT STATED THAT FREEZING WATER IN THE ALTERNATE AIR SYSTEM PREVENTED THE ALTERNATE AIR GATE FROM OPERATING AND PREVENTED SUFFICIENT AIR TO THE ENGINE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 309 hours in all; 224 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 234 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,885 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Hermiston OR at 1:15 pm
- Destination: C North Bend OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24, 1,800 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.