Piper PA38 accident near Williams, Oregon, October 22, 1984
On October 22, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA38, registered N9513T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williams, Oregon (None airport). It was a personal 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
- October 22, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Williams, Oregon · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA38 · all PA38s on the register
- Registration
- N9513T · registry record · serial 38-78A0121
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS FLYING 150 TO 200 FT AGL AT 80 TO 85 MPH. UPON PWR APPLICATION TO RETURN TO ALT, PLT STATED, CARBURETOR HEAT CONROL WAS NOT RETURNED TO THE 'OFF' POSITION. PLT STATED ACFT DID NOT WANT TO CLIMB SO PWR WAS REMOVED AND AN ATTEMPT TO FLY UNDER SURROUNDING TREES WAS MADE. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED TREE BRANCHES AND THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND. PLT REPORTED THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS ROUGH DURING PRE-FLIGHT RUN-UP, HOWEVER POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION OF THE MAGNETOS REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE LOWER SPARK PLUGS WERE FOUND TO BE CARBON FOULED.
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: 355 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 260 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-12C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S8 Grants Pass OR at 10:00 pm
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from MFR, 18 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.