- Date
- July 8, 2023, 01:00 local (08:00 UTC)
- Place
- La Grande, OR · La Grande/Union County Airport
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N92761North American AT-6G
- Defining event
- Landing: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20230708009409A
- Case key
- 192577
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 failure to maintain clearance from trees during an airstrip overfly, which resulted in impact damage to the left wing.
Findings · 2
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 pilot reported that while overflying a grass airstrip to land, the left wing struck a tree after crossing the departure end of the runway at treetop level. The pilot maneuvered to a local airport for an emergency landing. During landing, shortly after the airplane crossed the runway threshold, a ground observer notified the pilot that the left landing gear was not extended. The pilot then placed the landing gear selector lever in UP position, but the right gear did not retract Subsequently, the airplane ground looped shortly after touchdown and collapsed the right landing gear. Post accident examination revealed that the left wing had substantial damage from impact with a tree. The pilot added that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N92761
- Reported as
- North American AT-6G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 182-413
- Built
- 1958
- Airframe hours
- 7,410
- Engine
- P&W R-1340-S1H1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 12, 2023 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- KJSY · Joseph, OR
- Destination
- KUAO · Aurora, OR
- Airport
- LGD · La Grande/Union County, runway 12, 6,261 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 49
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 11, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,365 total · 14 in this make and model · 2,254 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 78
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 8, 2022
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 11,028 total · 605 in this make and model · 10,878 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.91 inHg
- Observed at
- KLGD
- METAR
- KLGD 081956Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/10 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW RAB32E45 SLP109 P0000 T02440100
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 2, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.1 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.