Cessna 185A accident near Damascus, Oregon, October 23, 1997
On October 23, 1997 at about 4:35 am local time, a Cessna 185A, registered N714, was destroyed in an accident near Damascus, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from terrain. Factors relating to the accident included: darkness, and hilly/mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 1997 · about 4:35 am local time
- Place
- Damascus, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185A · all 185As on the register
- Registration
- N714 · registry record · serial 185-0448
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to radar data, the airplane, which had been acquired earlier that day by the pilot, descended slowly from level flight at 1200 feet MSL to 800 feet MSL before disappearing from radar. Wreckage was located in the immediate vicinity of the last radar target. Witnesses reported a loss of electrical power in their homes, followed by the sound of an increase in engine power from the airplane immediately before final impact. The crash occurred in dark night conditions on rising terrain. The airplane's heading was direct toward an airport with an operating control tower; an attempt had been made to initiate radio contact. Weather at nearby reporting stations was marginal for VFR flight operations. The airplane's equipment list noted navigational equipment sufficient for a non-precision instrument approach. No pre-crash mechanical deficiencies were noted during the investigation.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Placerville CA
- Destination: Kent WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; scat at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 am from TTD, 10 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA98LA007.