Piper PA-32-260 accident near Kellogg, Idaho, April 24, 1994
On April 24, 1994 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N7659C, was destroyed in an accident near Kellogg, Idaho. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHILE FLYING WITH PARTIAL PANEL, AND THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1994 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Kellogg, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N7659C · no longer on the register · serial 7600006
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EN ROUTE ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE PILOT CONTACTED SEATTLE ARTCC & OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REQUESTED & WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO 15,000' MSL. DURING THE CLIMB, ARTCC TEMPORARILY LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PLANE & ASKED THE PILOT TO REPORT AT 15,000', WHICH HE DID AT 1329 PDT. ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, THE PILOT SAID HE LOST 'GYRO SUCTION' & WOULD BE USING 'PARTIAL PANEL.' ALSO, HE REPORTED THERE WAS STILL SOME IMC CONDITIONS, THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF CLOUDS & THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED SOME LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS. SOON THEREAFTER, ARTCC LOST RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. A WITNESS HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE REVVING JUST BEFORE THE PLANE CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE WINGS & EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE WINGS HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. THE FUSELAGE SKIN FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE WAS RIPPED & TORN WITH NUMEROUS RIVETS TORN THROUGH THE SEAMS. A CHECK OF THE VACUUM PUMP REVEALED EVIDENCE OF SEIZURE AFTER LONG-TERM ENGINE OIL CONTAMINATION & WEAR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,130 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,553 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1993; 177 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YLW Kelwona at 6:50 pm
- Destination: MSO Missoula MT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:46 pm from MLP, 26 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.