Piper PA-44-180 accident near The Dalles, Oregon, September 14, 1997
On September 14, 1997 at about 4:54 am local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N357DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near The Dalles, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-in-command(CFI)'s failure to refuel which subsequently led to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1997 · about 4:54 am local time
- Place
- The Dalles, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N357DA · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during the last leg of a long cross country-flight, the left engine lost power. About fifteen minutes later, the right engine lost power. During the emergency descent for landing on an interstate highway, the airplane struck power lines. The airplane landed on the interstate and during the landing roll, the airplane's right wing struck a sign post. After the accident, inspection of the fuel system revealed that approximately one gallon of fuel remained in the system. The flight instructor stated that they had intended to refuel at the last departure point, however, he mistakenly figured the flight time to the final destination, and decided not to refuel.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,217 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 288 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 1,159 as pilot in command; 780 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 8, 1997; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-E1A6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PUW Pullman WA at 3:50 am
- Destination: TTD Troutdale OR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 am from TTD, 51 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.