Piper PA-12 accident near Oregon City, Oregon, July 17, 2001
On July 17, 2001, a Piper PA-12, registered N918TF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oregon City, Oregon. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The front seat (pilot-in-command's) inadequate visual lookout during step taxi resulting in the aircraft's collision with a partially submerged log. A contributing factor was the log and it's lack of any conspicuous marking.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 2001
- Place
- Oregon City, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N918TF · registry record · serial 12-2232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-floatplane rated private pilot-in-command (front seat), accompanied by an ATP rated flight instructor (rear seat), was step taxiing in preparation for takeoff on the Willamette River. During the step taxi the aircraft's right float impacted an unmarked, submerged log protruding about 15 inches above the water's surface. The right float was breached and the aircraft gradually nosed over and sank.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,381 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 4,092 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 21, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,161 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 6,947 as pilot in command; 3,592 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 4, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,113 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2000; 172 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S1 Lake Oswego OR
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N918TF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.