Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Tigard, OR
On May 10, 1997, a Piper PA-28R-200 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tigard, OR. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 10, 1997
- Place
- Tigard, OR
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.399°N, 122.790°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08012
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 10, 1997, about 1440 Pacific daylight time, N55676, a Piper PA-28R-200, operated by the owner/pilot, collided with trees and was destroyed during a forced landing. The forced landing was precipitated by a reported loss of engine power while on final approach to a private airstrip in Tigard, Oregon. The private pilot and his passenger were killed. There was a postcrash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91. The accident flight originated from the Tigard airstrip earlier in the day. The grass airstrip is known as the Meyer Riverside Airpark, and was owned by the accident pilot. It is surrounded by homes and trees. According to numerous witnesses (witness interview synopses attached), the accident pilot, age 75, decided to take the 16-year-old passenger on a local flight and have lunch at a nearby airport restaurant. None of the witnesses knew exactly which airport was the destination; however, they stated that the pilot routinely flew to the Oregon airports in Independence, Salem, and Mulino, for lunch. According to witness statements and fuel logs, the airplane was "topped off" with fuel before the accident flight at the Meyer Riverside Airpark. One witness observed the accident pilot perform a "run-up" of the accident airplane in preparation for takeoff about 1130 on the morning of the accident. The witness stated that he did not notice anything unusual with the run-up at the time. In an attempt to ascertain the destination of the flight after takeoff, th
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to properly manage the aircraft fuel supply, which led to fuel exhaustion of the right tank and subsequent fuel starvation/power loss of the engine during the final approach. Factors contributing to the accident were the lack of sufficient altitude to effect a recovery, and the lack of suitable terrain for a successful forced landing.
More accidents in OR
- Cessna T207A, Aug 21, 1986
- Piper PA-28-180, Sep 1, 1984
- Piper PA-28RT-201, Mar 12, 1984
- Piper PA 46-310P, Apr 7, 2017
- Cessna 172, Jun 23, 2012
Browse: Oregon · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
