# Incident 20260318003779I: Piper PA-12, St. Helens, WA, March 18, 2026

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 18, 2026, 18:00 local time
- Place: St. Helens, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.9382° N, 122.8173° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9382&lon=-122.8173&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7632H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7632H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 0
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 12 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA133) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260318003779I

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 18, AROUND 15:30 LOCAL TIME, N7632H DEPARTED THE HILLSBORO, OR (HIO) AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF, AS DESCRIBED BY THE PILOT, SOME FUN FLYING ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.  THE PILOT CONDUCTED SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS FROM UNIMPROVED STRIPS ALONG THE COLUMBIA RIVER PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.  THE PILOT HAD ALREADY CONDUCTED ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING ON GOAT ISLAND.  THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS HIS SECOND.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT APPROXIMATELY 06:00PM, WHILE TAKING OFF FROM GOAT ISLAND NEAR ST. HELENS, OR, THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL BUT AS THE AIRCRAFT BECAME LITE, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND ENDED IN THE WATER. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET OUT OF THE AIRPLANE AND GET TO SHORE. TTHE POLICE AND MULTIPLE RESPONDENTS HELPED HIM TO SECURE THE AIRCRAFT AND GET IT OUT OF THE WATER.

THE LEFT LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND SHEARED AND THE LEFT TUNDRA TIRE ROTATED SIDEWAYS. THE LANDING GEAR WAS NEW AND HAD 15 LANDINGS ON IT.   THE RIGHT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.  THE CAUSE OF THE GEAR FAILURE HAS NOT YET BEEN DETERMINED.

## 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 WPR26LA133](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA133), Mar 19, 2026: Piper PA-12 (N7632H), West Linn, OR, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

## Other reports on N7632H (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20220722012989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220722012989A), Jul 22, 2022: Piper PA-12 (N7632H), Lexingtion, OR, Substantial damage. Pilot left khio and headed for klgd a little after 11AM. Pilot decided to land at 9S9 to pick up some fuel. Aircraft touched down a few minutes before 1PM. The…

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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