Piper PA-18-150 N8982D

Summary

On 1 January 1991 at about 23:00 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N8982D, operated by Welch, Steven S., was involved in an accident near Dayville, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 January 1991 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayville, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.4601, -119.5003

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N8982D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Welch, Steven S.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madras → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA91FA262

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S POOR IN FLIGHT DECISION. FACTORS INCLUDE MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE AIRFIELD AT APPROXIMATELY 1300 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME ON NEW YEARS DAY. THE NEXT DAY HIS FAMILY, WHICH EXPECTED HIM TO RETURN BEFORE DARK ON THE DAY OF DEPARTURE, REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT MISSING. THE UNSUCCESSFUL SEARCH WAS SUSPENDED THIRTEEN DAYS LATER. APPROXIMATELY 16 MONTHS AFTER THE CRASH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED BY A TIMBER CRUISER IN A DENSE OLD GROWTH FOREST. THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BURNED, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED A SERIES OF CONIFEROUS TREES NEAR THE CENTER OF A STEEP SIDED BOX CANYON, AT THE 5,000 FOOT LEVEL OF A 7,000 FOOT MOUNTAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.