Piper PA-22-135 accident near Troutdale, Oregon, September 29, 1992
On September 29, 1992 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-135, registered N8274C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troutdale, Oregon. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
SEPARATION OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HEAD AND OVERLOADING OF THE NOSE GEAR STRUT. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 1992 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Troutdale, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-135 · all PA-22-135s on the register
- Registration
- N8274C · no longer on the register · serial 22-2349
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND VIBRATING. THE PILOT, UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO THE POWER LOSS, EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING ONTO AN UNEVEN FIELD DURING WHICH THE NOSE GEAR STRUT FOLDED AFT DUE TO OVERLOAD AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. SUBSEQUENT DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE HAD SEPARATED AT THE NECK JUST BENEATH THE BASE OF THE VALVE HEAD.
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: 420 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 391 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,573 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 1992; 22 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: 59S Vancouver WA at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 59S
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 17 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from TTD, 4 miles away
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.
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.