Piper PA-28-181 accident near Chiloquin, Oregon, June 23, 1989
On June 23, 1989 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N43708, was destroyed in an accident near Chiloquin, Oregon (Chiloquin State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PLANNING AND PREPARATION FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND AN INADVERTENT STALL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CLEAR TREES OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, GUSTY CROSSWIND, UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1989 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chiloquin, Oregon · Chiloquin State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N43708 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8490099
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TAKEOFF WAS FROM A CLOSED RUNWAY WITH MEN & EQUIPMENT WORKING ON THE FIRST 600 FT REPAVING. THE AIRPORT FACILITY DIRECTORY STATED 'TAKEOFF NORTH HAZARDOUS, DOWNDRAFTS AND CROSSWINDS, HILLS AND TREES'. UPSLOPING RUNWAY. DENSITY ALT WAS ABOUT 6300 FT, AND THERE WERE GUSTY CROSSWINDS. PASSENGERS REPORTED THE STALL WARNING HORN ACTIVATED JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF & WAS ON UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES.
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: 260 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,335 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 17, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Southwest Air Charter
The flight
- Destination: APC Napa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,735 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from LMT, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.