Piper PA28-140 accident near Beaver Marsh, Oregon, February 15, 1989
On February 15, 1989 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N95286, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beaver Marsh, Oregon (Beaver Marsh State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A FAILED EXHAUST VALVE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN ON WHICH A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1989 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Beaver Marsh, Oregon · Beaver Marsh State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N95286 · no longer on the register · serial 28-25876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CRUISE FLT, THE ENG MISFIRED AND BEGAN OPERATING ON 3 CYLINDERS. DUE TO ROUGH TERRAIN BTW HIMSELF AND A KNOWN SUITABLE AIRPORT, THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A SMALL SNOW-COVERED AIRSTRIP. THE ACFT NOSED OVER ON LANDING IN 4 FT OF SNOW. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HAD FAILED.
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: 751 hours in all; 730 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 690 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S07 Bend OR at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 031 Healdsburg CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from RDM, 65 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.