Lake LA-4-250 accident near Blue River, Oregon, May 17, 1986
On May 17, 1986 at about 10:22 pm local time, a Lake LA-4-250, registered N1403A, was destroyed in an accident near Blue River, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- May 17, 1986 · about 10:22 pm local time
- Place
- Blue River, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Lake LA-4-250 · all LA-4-250s on the register
- Registration
- N1403A · no longer on the register · serial 30
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING THE ACFT FLYING NEAR THE EUGENE ARPT AT AN ALT OF 400 TO 500 FT AGL. THE ACFT WAS HEADING TOWARD THE BLUE RIVER. THE ACFT WAS THEN SEEN FLYING OVER THE BLUE RIVER FOREST RANGER STATION APRX 7 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. AT THIS TIME THE ACFT WAS AT AN ALT OF APRX 1000 FT AGL AS IT TURNED UP THE NORTH QUARTZ CREEK. THE ACFT THEN IMPACTED THE SIDE OF A BOX CANYON IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE APRX 1000 FT BELOW THE RIDGE LINE. THE PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK LISTS THE RATE OF CLIMB AT STANDARD CONDITIONS AS 680 FPM.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 142 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EUG Eugene OR at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from EUG, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.