Piper PA-28-180 accident near Yamhill, Oregon, June 15, 1990
On June 15, 1990 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9765J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yamhill, Oregon (Flying M airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED AFTER TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND ABORTED TAKEOFF. THE PILOT DID NOT MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND DID NOT PROPERLY CORRECT THE SITUATION BEFORE COLLIDING WITH TREES AND A FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1990 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Yamhill, Oregon · Flying M · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9765J · registry record · serial 28-3960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL WITH 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS, THE AIRPLANE HAD ACCELERATED TO 60 MPH WHEN THE PILOT EXTENDED THE FLAPS TO 25 DEGREES FOR THE SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AND THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND NOTED HE WAS 5 DEGREES OFF THE CENTERLINE TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT OVER CORRECTED TO 5 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF CENTER LINE AND WAS HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARDS TREES. AT THIS POINT, THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING A STALL. THE PILOT OPTED TO ABORT THE TAKE OFF AND REDUCED POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL HEADING FOR TREES AND THE PILOT TRIED TO MANEUVER AROUND THEM; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED OFF THE AIRSTRIP THROUGH A BARBED WIRE FENCE AND ONTO A PUBLIC ROAD THAT PARALLELED THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE SLID DOWN THE ROAD AND CAME TO REST TOWARDS THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: 237 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 179 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7S3 at 1:15 am
- Destination: 7S3 Portland OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,100 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA90LA101.