Piper PA-20 accident near Mulino, Oregon, August 18, 1996
On August 18, 1996 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N150KS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mulino, Oregon (Mulino airport). 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
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1996 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mulino, Oregon · Mulino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N150KS · registry record · serial 20-678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a series of touch-and-go landings. While climbing after his 5th tough-and-go, the engine lost power at about 150-200 feet above ground level. The pilot attempted an emergency landing on the remaining available runway, but there was insufficient runway remaining to stop. The pilot performed an intentional nose-over near the end of the runway in order to avoid rolling off a steep drop-off to a river about 100 feet below. Inspection and running of the engine did not reveal the reason for the loss of engine power. Sufficient fuel for the flight was available in the airplane.
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: student
- Flight time: 102 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,848 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1996; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4S9 at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.