Piper PA-24-250 accident near Salem, Oregon, August 27, 1990
On August 27, 1990 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N8103P, was destroyed in an accident near Salem, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT CONCERNED INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1990 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Salem, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N8103P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3353
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADZD OF A CURRENT AIRMET FOR THE AREA WITH PRECAUTIONS FOR OCNL MDT TURBC BELOW 14,000' & MTN OBSCN. OCNL MDT RIME OR MIXED ICING WAS FORECAST FOR THE AREA AS WELL AS RAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY. WHEN THE PLT OPENED A VFR FLT PLAN AFTER TAKEOFF, HE WAS REMINDED OF THE PRECAUTIONS & AIRMET FOR TURBC & ICING. AS THE FLT CONTD, THE PLT ADZD HE WOULD BE CLIMBING TO 11,500' MSL. A FEW MIN LATER, HE ADZD HE WOULD DEVIATE FROM COURSE TO 'REMAIN VFR ON THESE CLOUDS.' THERE WAS NO FURTHER COM WITH THE ACFT. WITNESSES ON THE GND HEARD A LOUD BANG, THEN SAW THE ACFT DSCND BELOW THE CLOUD LAYER IN A SPIRAL WITH PIECES SEPG. WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER A 1/2 AREA. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT BOTH OUTBOARD SECTIONS OF THE WINGS SEPD UPWARD & REARWARD, WHILE THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR SEPD DOWNWARD IN FLT. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT VERIFY WHICH MODE OF FLT THE ACFT WAS IN, WHEN THE IN-FLT BREAKUP OCCURRED.
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: 1,072 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 968 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 25, 1990; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDX Portland OR at 2:18 am
- Destination: 017 Grass Valley CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from SLE, 4 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.
Other NTSB records under N8103P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.