Piper PA-22-108 accident near Ashland, Oregon, August 30, 1996
On August 30, 1996 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N4992Z, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Oregon (Ashland Municipal airport). 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
inadequate inspection of the airplane by maintenance personnel,and a worn exhaust clamp, which resulted in a disconnected exhaust pipe, exhaust leak, burning and shorting of electrical wiring associated with the voltage regulator, and a cabin fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1996 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Oregon · Ashland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4992Z · no longer on the register · serial 22-8600
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot, who was also an A&P mechanic, and a passenger took off on a cross-country flight. During the initial climbout, the pilot smelled something burning and decided to return for landing. White smoke entered the cockpit, followed by black smoke and a small flame under the instrument panel. While on short final approach, the engine lost power, and the pilot could not see outside the airplane due to the smoke in the cabin. The airplane touched down and the occupants escaped without injury. The airplane continued to burn and was destroyed. Examination of the wreckage revealed that a worn exhaust system clamp had come loose. The exhaust pipe became disconnected and imparted hot gasses onto the voltage regulator. The electrical wiring on the regulator subsequently burned and became shorted. An electrical fire and cabin fire followed. The pilot/mechanic had purchased the airplane three months before the accident after an annual inspection. The maintenance log books were not recovered. Verification of the last inspections, as well as compliance with an FAA airworthiness directive regarding exhaust system inspection every 50 hours, could not be confirmed.
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: 89 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S03 Ashland OR at 9:28 pm
- Destination: 77S Creswell OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,603 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.