Piper PA-18-150 accident near Dayville, Oregon, January 1, 1991
On January 1, 1991 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N8982D, was destroyed in an accident near Dayville, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR IN FLIGHT DECISION. FACTORS INCLUDE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1991 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Dayville, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8982D · registry record · serial 18-6377
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE AIRFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME ON NEW YEARS DAY. THE NEXT DAY HIS FAMILY, WHICH EXPECTED HIM TO RETURN BEFORE DARK ON THE DAY OF DEPARTURE, REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT MISSING. THE UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH WAS SUSPENDED THIRTEEN DAYS LATER. APPROXIMATELY 16 MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED BY A TIMBER CRUISER IN A DENSE OLD GROWTH FOREST. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BURNED, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED A SERIES OF CONIFEROUS TREES NEAR THE CENTER OF A STEEP SIDED BOX CANYON, AT THE 5,000 FOOT LEVEL OF A 7,000 FOOT MOUNTAIN.
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; 110 in this make and model; 209 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: S33 Madras OR at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Observation at 8:55 pm from RDM, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 SEA91FA262.