# Accident 20041014027009A: Piper PA28140, Grand Ronde, OR, October 14, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 14, 2004, 17:43 local time
- Place: Grand Ronde, OR
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.0175° N, 123.7556° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.0175&lon=-123.7556&mi=10
- Aircraft: N454FL, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N454FL-2007-09-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-140 (registry code 7102802, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28140
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2A
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 110 total, 47 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB SEA05FA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05FA007) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20041014027009A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON 10/14/2004, APPROXIMATELY 1800 (PST), A PIPER PA-28-140 WAS DESTROYED AFTER IMPACTING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAND RONDE, OR. THE PRIVATE PILOT, AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RENTED FROM A LOCAL FBO. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MCMINNVILLE (MMV) AT 1709 PST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TO RETURN AT 1900 THE SAME DAY. AT 2259 AN (ALNOT) WAS ISSUED FOR THE MISSING AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED ON 10/15/2004 AT AN ELEVATION OF 2,350 FEET. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND INVERTED AND THE COCKPIT AND CABIN AREAS WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION PATH OF 124 FEET WAS ALONG A MEASURED MAGNETIC HEADING OF 352 DEGREES. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON AN UPSLOPE OF 40 TO 50 DEGREES. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND BROUGHT TO THE INDEPENDENCE AIRPORT IN OREGON FOR AN ENGINE EVALUATION. ON 10/28/2004, THE NTSB, FAA, LYCOMING REPRESENTATIVE AND THE FBO INSURANCE ADJUSTER WERE PRESENT. CONTINUITY OF ENGINE CORE COMPONENTS SHOWED CONFORMITY AND COMPRESSION WAS EVIDENT. ALL ACCESSORIES WERE FOUND DESTROYED BY FIRE. PROPELLER REVEALED TORSIONAL TWISTING AND STRIKE MARKS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB SEA05FA007](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA05FA007), Oct 15, 2004: Piper PA-28-140 (N454FL), Grand Ronde, OR, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from high terrain while maneuvering. A factor contributing to the accident was the high terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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