- Date
- April 8, 1986, 20:10 local (Apr 9, 1986, 04:10 UTC)
- Place
- East Wenatchee, WA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N42496Piper PA-28-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860408046549A
- Case key
- 40278
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt departed arpt in bottom of columbia river gorge on night VFR flt to spokane, WA. Five to six min after departure acft impacted terrain on lip of canyon wall. Plts reported moderate to severe turbulence near the bluff line before and after crash. The acft impacted in a steep nose down attitude and exploded on impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42496
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 74-05164
- Airframe hours
- 2,206
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert S. Ditton
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1985 · 140 hours before
- Departed
- EAT · Wenatchee, WA
- Destination
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Airport
- EAT · Pangborn Field, runway 29, 5,499 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 715 total · 700 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EAT, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.