- Date
- August 20, 2018, 16:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Brownsville, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N140JLRans S14
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 3
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Portland FSDO
- FAA report
- 20180820011879A
- Case key
- 98142
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering at low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The sport pilot was circling about 600 ft above ground level and taking photographs of a concert venue. He stated that he slowed the airplane to about 60 mph before entering a steep left turn. During the turn, the airplane stalled and subsequently impacted the ground. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
On August 20, 2018, about 1640 Pacific daylight time, a Rans S14 airplane, N140JL, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Brownsville, Oregon. The sport pilot received serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot stated he had planned to overfly and photograph the location of a recent concert venue. As he arrived over the venue, he descended to about 600 ft above ground level (agl) and decelerated to about 60 miles per hour (mph) before entering a steep left turn. During the turn, he felt the airplane stall, and he attempted to recover as the airplane impacted the ground and struck a fence. The pilot reported there were no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140JL
- Reported as
- Rans S14
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0392019
- Built
- 1992
- Airframe hours
- 627.9
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · May 26, 2018 · 626 hours before
- Departed
- Harrisburg, OR
- Destination
- Harrisburg, OR
- Equipment
- None
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
- 69
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 410 total · 384.3 in this make and model · 410 as pilot in command · 4.5 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KEUG, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.