Cessna 172 accident near Chemult, Oregon, June 12, 1989
On June 12, 1989 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1365E, was destroyed in an accident near Chemult, Oregon. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUDDEN ALTITUDE DEVIATION, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DOWNDRAFTS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT DIVERTING ATTENTION, AND THE TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 1989 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chemult, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1365E · no longer on the register · serial 17270970
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & PASSENGER WERE CONDUCTING AN EAGLE SURVEY FLT. THEY MADE A PASS OVER AN EAGLE'S NEST, NORTH OF LEMOLO LAKE TO COUNT NEWLY HATCHED EAGLETS, BUT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT DESCENDED TO ABOUT 400 FT AGL & WAS ON THE 2ND PASS, WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED DOWNDRAFTS. HE SAID HE APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP A RAPID DESCENT IN TIME TO AVOID IMPACT WITH TREES. THE TERRAIN IN THAT AREA SLOPED UPWARD TO THE NORTH TO A BUTTE. ABOUT 52 MI WEST AT ROSEBURG, OR, THE 1548 PDT WIND WAS FROM 340 DEG AT 8 KTS. DENSITY ALT AT THE ACDNT SITE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 5570 FT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,700 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 8,591 as pilot in command; 1,235 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,171 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1988; 148 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S21 Sunriver OR at 9:45 pm
- Destination: LMT Klamath Falls OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from RBG, 52 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.