Siai-Marchetti SF.260B accident near Prospect, Oregon, June 6, 1994
On June 6, 1994 at about 2:15 am local time, a Siai-Marchetti SF.260B, registered N943TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prospect, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FRACTURE OF A CONNECTING ROD. FACTORS INCLUDE NO SUITABLE FORCED LANDING SITE, AND A FENCE AND IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN THE FIELD WHERE THE FORCED LANDING TOOK PLACE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1994 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Prospect, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti SF.260B
- Registration
- N943TA · registry record · serial 11-01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 45 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE NUMBER SIX CONNECTING ROD EXPERIENCED A FATIGUE FAILURE, AND CAUSED CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE CRANKCASE. THE FRACTURING OF THE CASE RESULTED IN A LOSS OF OIL, AND THE LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE RESULTED IN A RUNAWAY PROPELLER. THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH AN IRRIGATION PIPE AND A FENCE DURING THE LANDING ROLL. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH IS USED EXTENSIVELY FOR PROFESSIONAL AIR SHOW AEROBATICS, IS POWERED BY AN ENGINE THAT IS CLASSED AS EXPERIMENTAL BECAUSE IT CONTAINS HIGH COMPRESSION PISTONS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,500 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 17,150 as pilot in command; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1994; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFD Medford OR at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.