Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Jordan Valley, Oregon, July 25, 1999
On July 25, 1999 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N3992P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jordan Valley, Oregon. It was a personal 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
The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush of the aircraft while attempting a forced landing due to partial power loss of the engine. Factors include carburetor icing conditions and the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1999 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jordan Valley, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3992P · registry record · serial 18-4752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering at approximately 100 feet agl, the pilot applied power to out-climb rising terrain. Just after he applied power, the engine started to run rough, and the pilot applied carburetor heat. The application of carburetor heat resulted in a further loss of power, so the pilot returned the carburetor heat to the off position. He then used a combination of on-off-on settings in an attempt to remedy the suspected carburetor icing. Because his actions did not result in the engine returning to full power, he elected to attempt an emergency landing in a nearby clearing. While on final approach to the clearing, and still approximately 20 feet agl, the aircraft stalled/mushed into the terrain. According to the DOT/FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart, carburetor icing could be expected at the temperature/dew point present at the accident site at the time of the subject event.
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: 29 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 1,640 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1999; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rome OR at 12:00 pm
- Destination: BNO Burns OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from BOI, 45 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N3992P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.