Piper PA34-200T accident near Antelope, Oregon, February 26, 1986
On February 26, 1986 at about 2:55 am local time, a Piper PA34-200T, registered N8305C, was destroyed in an accident near Antelope, Oregon. It was a business 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
- February 26, 1986 · about 2:55 am local time
- Place
- Antelope, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA34-200T · all PA34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8305C · no longer on the register · serial 347670123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS OPERATING VFR ON TOP AT 11000 FEET, COMMENCED DESCENT TO DESTINATION 34 MILES OUT. PLT RPTED FIELD IN SIGHT 16 MILES OUT, PASSING 6500 FT, CANCELLED FLIGHT PLAN. ACFT IMPACTED RIDGE AT 4100 FEET MSL 7 MILES FROM DESTINATION. DARK NIGHT CONDS EXISTED, WITH OVERCAST ABOVE BROKEN CLOUDS. RESIDENTS REPORTED MODERATE DRIZZLE IN AREA AT TIME OF CRASH. FORECAST INCLUDED MODERATE TURBULENCE BELOW 15000 FEET WITH STRONG UP AND DOWN DRAFTS NEAR MOUNTAINS, MOUNTAINS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION. RADAR TRACK SHOWED ACFT SPD DURING DESCENT IN EXCESS OF 200 KTS, RATE OF DESCENT UP TO 1200 FEET PER MINUTE. WRECKAGE INDICATES ACFT STRUCK STEEP ROCKY SLOPE IN NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE WITH POWER ON.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,743 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 5,375 as pilot in command; 335 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,120 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 1986; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental L-TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR at 2:14 am
- Destination: 350R Rajneeshpuram OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from RDM, 43 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.