Cessna 172D accident near Portland, Oregon, May 30, 1983
On May 30, 1983 at about 4:40 am local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2897U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portland, Oregon (Troh'S Happy Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 30, 1983 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Portland, Oregon · Troh'S Happy Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2897U · registry record · serial 17250497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING AT NIGHT ON RWY 34, THE PLT NOTICED THAT HE WAS OVER HALF WAY DOWN THE RWY AND STILL FLOATING. HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND BUT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE DEPARTURE END & CRASHED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT SEVERAL OF THE THRESHOLD AND RWY LIGHTS WERE MISSING AT THE APCH END. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ARPT WAS APRX 3800 FT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 79 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTD Troutdale OR at 4:25 am
- Destination: SI5 Portland OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 am from PDX, 10 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.