Piper PA-22 accident near Boring, Oregon, February 4, 1990
On February 4, 1990 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N8898C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boring, Oregon. 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
CARBURETOR ICING, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS AND THE SOFT/UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1990 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Boring, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8898C · no longer on the register · serial 22-1477
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON A X-COUNTRY FLT, THE ENG SUDDENLY LOST POWER. THE PLT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD, BUT THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A RUT & NOSED OVER. IT WAS REMOVED TO A FACILITY FOR AN INSPN OF THE ENG & PREPARATION FOR A TEST RUN. THE ENG WAS STARTED & WAS OPERD FOR SVRL MIN AT VARYING POWER SETTINGS WITH NO ABNORMALITIES NOTED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 44 & 32 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO CARB ICING CHARTS, CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE FOR CARB ICING.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,220 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSC Pasco WA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 388 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from TTD, 8 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.