Piper PA-28-161 accident near Sun River, Oregon, January 12, 1997
On January 12, 1997 at about 3:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8414B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sun River, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadvertent VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain altitude/clearance above moutainous/wooded terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, adverse weather conditions, and the proximity of mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1997 · about 3:25 am local time
- Place
- Sun River, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8414B · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116268
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who was accompanied by a private pilot observer, descended through a hole in the clouds, while diverting from the planned destination due to en route weather conditions. During the descent, visual contact with the surface was lost. The pilot stated that as he resumed level cruise flight, they saw snow-covered trees and attempted to climb by adding full power and pitching up. Also, he said that when they saw that the terrain was rising faster than the airplane was climbing, they pulled back on the control wheel and made a power-on mushing flare into the pine trees and came to a stop in 3 feet of snow. The two pilots spent the night with the wreckage in winter conditions and were rescued the following morning.
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: 113 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 61 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,862 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 15, 1996; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,470 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID
- Destination: S07 Bend OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:16 am from KRD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.