Piper PA-23-250 accident near Estacada, Oregon, March 29, 1993
On March 29, 1993 at about 5:50 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N63888, was destroyed in an accident near Estacada, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER CLEARANCE (AND/OR ALTITUDE) FROM MOUTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, CLOUDS, LOW CEILINGS, AND THE HIGH (MOUNTAINOUS) TERRAIN IN THE AREA OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 29, 1993 · about 5:50 am local time
- Place
- Estacada, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N63888 · registry record · serial 27-7854033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE TROUTDALE AIRPORT ON A DARK NIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT PROCEEDED ALONG A COURSE THAT TOOK THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD RISING TERRAIN. IT EVENTUALLY IMPACTED TREES ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN. THE RIGHT TURN WAS BRINGING THE HEADING OF THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD A COURSE WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE CONSISTENT WITH A ROUTE TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 4200 FEET. ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT (ELEVATION 35 FEET), THE 2146 WEATHER WAS IN PART: 3500' BROKEN, 15 MILES VISIBILITY, WIND FROM 270 DEGREES AT 8 KNOTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 785 hours in all; 280 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 23, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TTD Portland OR at 5:35 am
- Destination: CVO Corvalis OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:46 am from TTD, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.