Navion A accident near White Salmon, Washington, February 21, 1986
On February 21, 1986 at about 8:32 pm local time, a Navion A, registered N340H, was destroyed in an accident near White Salmon, Washington. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 21, 1986 · about 8:32 pm local time
- Place
- White Salmon, Washington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Navion A
- Registration
- N340H · no longer on the register · serial 4-58
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING IFR CRUISE, A LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT COMPLIED WITH EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR POWER LOSS BUT WHEN HE REACHED DOWN TO SWITCH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENTERED INTO A NOSE DOWN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE, DESCENDING AT THE RATE OF 2,500 FEET PER MINUTE. DURING RECOVERY, THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT OF CLOUDS AT 1200 FEET AGL. DURING ATTEMPT TO LAND ON A CURVING ROAD, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO AVOID POWER LINES. A HARD LANDING RESULTED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A LOOSE CARBURETOR HEAT HOUSING CLAMP, RESTRICTING TRAVEL OF THE CARB HEAT CONTROL AND THAT AUTOMOTIVE/MIXED FUEL WAS BEING USED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 32 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 50R8 Stayton OR at 7:30 pm
- Destination: OMK Omak WA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.