Piper PA-28-161 accident near Ontario, Oregon, November 18, 1991
On November 18, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9776C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ontario, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TRANSMISSION WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ontario, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9776C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816527
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE CONCLUSION OF A REDUCED POWER DESCENDING SPIRAL, WITHOUT THE USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT, THE PILOT APPLIED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESPOND. A FORCED LANDING WAS EXECUTED DURING WHICH THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK POWER LINES WHICH THE PILOT DID NOT SEE. SURFACE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE FELL INTO A RANGE CONDUCIVE FOR CARBURETOR 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 64 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ONO Ontario OR at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Observation at 9:21 pm from ONO, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.