Piper PA-18-150 accident near Grass Valley, Oregon, May 16, 1983
On May 16, 1983 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7173K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grass Valley, Oregon. It was a business 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 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
- May 16, 1983 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Grass Valley, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7173K · no longer on the register · serial 18-395
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT STALLED WHILE THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND DOWNWIND ON AN UPHILL GRASS STRIP. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED AT 15 GUSTING TO 20 KTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT ON HIS APPROACH, HE WAS TO THE LEFT OF THE CENTER OF THE LANDING STRIP. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT TO THE RIGHT AND STALLED AT ABOUT 50 FEET AGL. RECOVERY WAS INITIATED, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND, SPINNING THE ACFT 180 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT SLID ABOUT 50 TO 100 FEET AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT WITH THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE AIRSTRIP THRESHOLD.
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: 2,150 hours in all; 919 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,922 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1982; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S9 Condon OR
- Destination: Grass Valley OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DLS, 23 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.