Cessna 152 accident near The Dalles, Oregon, October 20, 2023
On October 20, 2023 at about 3:42 am local time, a 1981 Cessna 152, registered N6308Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near The Dalles, Oregon (Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s encounter with severe turbulence at night which resulted in an extended downwind and collision with wires during the base turn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2023 · about 3:42 am local time
- Place
- The Dalles, Oregon · Columbia Gorge Rgnl/The Dalles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1981 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6308Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane encountered “extreme” turbulence while on the approach to an intermediate stopover airport during a night cross-country flight. The pilot extended the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to stabilize the airplane, and during the base leg turn, the airplane struck a wire and subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The airport is located at an elevation of 246 ft mean sea level (msl) in a major river gorge. The northern ridge line above the airport is about 2,900 ft msl, and the southern ridge line is about 1,300 ft msl. The accident location is located about 2 miles south of the airport at an estimated evaluation of about 650 ft msl. High tension powerlines are positioned south of the airport along the southern ridge. According to the United States Navy Observatory, the official sunset was at 17:12 Pacific daylight time (PDT), the official end of civil twilight was at 17:42 PDT and the official moon set was at 20:02 PDT. The night cross-county training flight was part of the pilot’s training curriculum for her commercial, airplane single engine land certificate. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 70 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 3, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,840.6 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 3, 2023; 50.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 6,612 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Hillsboro Aero Academy LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KRDM Redmond OR at 2:41 am
- Destination: KDLS The Dalles OR
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 5,097 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KDLS, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDLS 200353Z AUTO 31012G19KT 10SM CLR 19/11 A2995 RMK AO2 SLP143 T01890111=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 25, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of E-mail Correspondence | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N6308Q 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.