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SEA90FA098

1990-06-07 · SUSANVILLE, California, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 1Q2

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

AN IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION ON THE PART OF THE PILOT WHEN HE MISJUDGED THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO RISING TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT OF THE PIPER PA-28-161 DEPARTED SUSANVILLE, CA ON THE RETURN LEG OF A FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED IN KLAMATH FALLS, OR. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AND BURNED APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF SUSANVILLE, APPROXIMATELY ON A DIRECT COURSE TOWARDS KLAMATH FALLS, ABOUT 100-200 FEET BELOW SUSANVILLE PEAK. THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER PERISHED. WEATHER WAS EXCELLENT VFR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THE PILOT HAD STATED THAT HE HAD FOUR HOURS FUEL ON BOARD AT THE TIME OF HIS TAKEOFF. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_SEA90FA098.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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