# NTSB WPR24LA082: Piper PA-18A 150, N7473D, Eden, OR, January 26, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 26, 2024, 13:29 local (21:29 UTC) - Place: Eden, OR - Coordinates: 45.9624, -117.5821 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9624&lon=-117.5821&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Piper Aircraft Company, Lycoming Engines - SAIBs cited in the narratives: [SAIB CE-09-35](https://openairdocs.org/saib/CE-09-35) (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB case key (mKey): 193733 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24LA082 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193733/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193733 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24LA082 ## Probable cause An impact with terrain for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Unknown: Unknown or undetermined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-18A 150, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md?model=7101837), [All aircraft, 1,703 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/000/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and passenger departed on a scenic flight in northern Oregon. At an undetermined point in the 3-hr-and-36-minute flight they landed at the passenger’s airstrip. It is unknown how much time they spent on the ground, as the occupants could not recall any details from the accident flight. The passenger reported that they were returning from his property when they impacted the ground. The airplane crashed in mountainous terrain about 40 nautical miles (nm) north of the departure airport. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that could have precluded normal operation. The propeller signatures indicated that the engine was under low power or may have been windmilling at the time of impact. It is unknown if the propeller signatures were due to a loss of power or if the pilot manipulated the throttle control before impact. About 2 gallons of fuel were drained from the right fuel tank and about 7 gallons were drained from the left tank after the accident. It is unknown which tank was selected at the time of the accident, as the fuel selector was in the OFF position at the accident site. The fuel tanks were not breached nor did the fuel system show any evidence of an obstruction. Further evidence suggests that the airplane was also operating in conditions conducive to potentially serious carburetor ice at cruise power; however, it is unknown if the pilot used carburetor heat during the flight. The investigation was unable to determine why the airplane impacted the terrain. ## Factual narrative On January 26, 2024, about 1329 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-18A-150, N7473D, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Eden, Oregon. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Both the pilot and passenger stated that they had a limited recollection of the accident flight. The pilot reported that they departed Joseph State Airport (JSY), Joseph, Oregon, at 0955 with 36 gallons of fuel on board, for a scenic flight. At an unknown point during the flight they landed on a private airstrip owned by the passenger. The passenger reported that they were returning from his property when they impacted the ground, about three hours into the flight. The pilot and passenger could not remember any further details. According to first responders, the fuel selector was in the OFF position at the accident site. A representative of the recovery team reported that he drained about 2-3 gallons from the right-wing fuel tank and about 7 gallons from the left-wing fuel tank. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Both propeller blades were straight and remained attached to the crankshaft at the propeller hub. One blade tip was bent towards the camber side of the blade and the other blade tip was bent towards the blade face. The engine ran smooth and continuously during an engine test run and the fuel system (from the fuel lines at the wing roots to the engine) functioned normally when fuel was plumbed into the lines. A small oil leak was observed at the No. 3 cylinder exhaust tube and the engine was subsequently shut down for safety reasons. The fuel tanks were not compromised. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain at a field elevation of about 2,900 ft mean sea level (msl) and was about 30 nm from the nearest airport with an onsite weather reporting station. A High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) model sounding was created for the accident time and location. As the pilot and passenger were unable to recall their altitude before the airplane crashed, the model sounding was created from various altitudes. At an elevation of 3,900 ft msl, the HRRR sounding indicated the temperature was about 38° F and the dewpoint was about 29° F (“1” in Figure 1); the wind was from 207° at 3 kts. At an elevation of 4,900 ft msl, the HRRR sounding indicated the temperature was about 32° F and the dewpoint was about 23° F (“2” in Figure 1); the wind was from 204° at 9 kts. At an elevation of 5,900 ft msl, the HRRR sounding indicated the temperature was about 31° F and the dewpoint was about 20° F (“3” in Figure 1); the wind was from 201° at 11.5 kts. According to the model sounding, the airplane was operating in conditions conducive to serious icing at cruise power at 3,900 ft msl (1,000 ft above ground level). At higher altitudes,the conditions were conducive to icing at both glide and cruise power. Figure 1: Carburetor icing probability chart from Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 According to the airplane manufacturer, a manual was not developed for this airplane as it was not required when it was certificated under Civil Aviation Regulations 3. In addition, no fuel consumption information was found in the airplane’s type certificate. Fuel computations were derived from the Lycoming engine manual, which listed fuel consumption of 16.1 gph at 2,700 rpm and 200 hp, 12.3 gph at 75% power and 150 hp, and 9.5 gph at 65% power and 130 hp. The fuel consumption for the accident flight was computed based on the fuel quantity determined by recovery personnel at the accident site and the total time in flight (216 minutes). The total calculated rate of consumption from the accident flight was about 8 gph. The airplane crashed about 40 nm miles north of its departure airport. The estimated time en route from the accident site to the pilot’s departure airport was calculated using a normal cruise airspeed of about 85 kts, and the rate of fuel consumption during the accident flight. If the pilot had elected to proceed home from the accident site, the engine would have consumed about 3-4 gallons of fuel. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7473D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7473D), registered now, S/N 18-5808, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-18A 150 - Registry model: [Piper PA-18A 150](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a-150) (registry code 7101837) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18-5808 - Year built: 1957 - Airframe hours: 10046 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-A2B 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 24, 2024, 60 hours before - Departed: JSY, Joseph, OR - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 44; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 31, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,008.1 total, 532.2 in this make and model, 22.3 in the last 90 days, 4.3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 0.5 statute miles - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: KALW, 30 nm away - METAR: KALW 260905Z AUTO 00000KT 1/2SM R20/1600V1800FT FZFG VV002 M02/M02 A3025 RMK AO2 T10221022 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20240126001529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240126001529A), Jan 26, 2024: Piper PA-18A 150, Substantial damage. The day before the accident, the pilot added 24.5 gal of fuel and flew around the airport to perform some touch-n-go's. the passenger stated the day of the… ## Docket (14 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 26, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193733. 22.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286822&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversation (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17328307&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20convo-Rel.pdf - FAA correspondence (fuel selector) (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 472 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17327666&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20correspondence_Redacted-Rel.pdf - NTSB correspondence (fuel level at accident site) (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 651 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17327453&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20correspondence_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Aircraft logbook (item 5, PDF, 6 pages, 6.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286640&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=airframe%20log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Engine logbook (item 6, PDF, 8 pages, 5.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17285949&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=engine%20log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Piper aircraft notice of no maintenance manual (item 7, PDF, 1 page, 92 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286908&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Early%20model%20MX%20Manual%20Notice-Rel.pdf - Fuel consumption from Lycoming manual (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286408&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=fuel%20consumption%20from%20O-320%20manual-Rel.pdf - NTSB wreckage examination report (item 9, PDF, 11 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286832&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR24LA082%20Wreckage%20exam%20report-Rel.pdf - Hhhs sounding data (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 60 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17327360&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=HHHS%20sounding-Rel.pdf - Carburetor icing chart from FAA SAIB CE-09-35 (item 11, JPG, 112 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286350&FileExtension=jpg&FileName=carb%20icing-Rel.jpg - Performance calculations (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286360&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=performance-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 13, PDF, 2 pages, 125 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17286721&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Release%20of%20Wreckage%20N7473D_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement of party representatives to NTSB investigation (item 14, PDF, 10 pages, 415 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17332129&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Lycoming%20party%20form_Redacted-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.