Piper PA-18-150 accident near Imlay, Nevada, December 25, 1984
On December 25, 1984 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N9659P, was destroyed in an accident near Imlay, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- December 25, 1984 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Imlay, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9659P · no longer on the register · serial 18-7509003
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS REPORTEDLY ENGAGED IN AERIAL COYOTE HUNTING, WITNESSES OBSERVED ACFT OF THIS DESCRIPTION FLYING LOW AND SLOW IN VICINITY BUT THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESSES TO THE CRASH. INVESTIGATION REVEALED ACFT IMPACTED GROUND UPRIGHT WITH HIGH VERTICAL DESCENT RATE. NO MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE FOUND IN ACFT STRUCTURE, POWER PLANT OR SYSTEMS.
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: 270 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 232 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 1984; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Imlay NV at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from WNC, 16 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.