Curtiss JN4-D accident near Vancouver, Washington, August 17, 1986
On August 17, 1986 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Curtiss JN4-D, registered N511JN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vancouver, Washington (Evergreen airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 17, 1986 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · Evergreen · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss JN4-D · all JN4-Ds on the register
- Registration
- N511JN · no longer on the register · serial S11
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF WAS MADE WITH 1300 RPM. AT LIFTOFF A SMALL AMOUNT OF BLACK SMOKE EMITTED FROM BOTH EXHAUST STACKS AND THE RPM DROPPED TO 1250. AFTER CLEARING THE RWY, MORE BLACK SMOKE EMITTED AND THE RPM DROPPED TO 1200. THE PLT CLEARED TWO 40 FOOT TALL TREES AT THE END OF THE RWY AND MADE A HARD LANDING IN A FIELD BEYOND THE TREES. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE FLOAT FROM THE ZENITH CARBURETOR HAD 17 VERITCAL LINES ON THE OUTSIDE DIAMETER AND CRACKS. THE FLOAT WAS FUEL SATURATED.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,000 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 305 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 30 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1986; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Liberty OX-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PDX
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.