Piper PA-20-135 accident near Redmond, Oregon, July 19, 2001
On July 19, 2001 at about 8:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-20-135, registered N8901C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redmond, Oregon (Roberts Field). It was a personal 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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing. A factor was variable winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2001 · about 8:08 pm local time
- Place
- Redmond, Oregon · Roberts Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20-135 · all PA-20-135s on the register
- Registration
- N8901C · no longer on the register · serial 20-1032
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at Redmond, the pilot was instructed to enter traffic for runway 28. On his first landing attempt, he bounced "moderately" and decided to go around. He reported that on his second approach, winds had increased and were variable. He stated that on this approach, the flare and initial rollout went well but that "the continuing rollout swerved to the left and did not respond well to correction." The pilot therefore decided to go around again, stating in his accident report: "Although I was unsure at the time whether I made contact or avoided a runway light, evidence on the aircraft indicates that a contact did occur." The pilot reported that at this point, he contacted the tower and told them that he was having trouble with crosswind on runway 28. The control tower then offered runway 4. The pilot stated that on the third approach, "I placed the aircraft with good speed control at the center of the runway while holding against a moderate crosswind from the left", but that "Within a few feet...a crosswind (seemingly quartering tailwind) from the right lifted the right wing", and that the aircraft then "arced immediately to the left" and subsequently ground looped at low speed. The aircraft's tailwheel collapsed during the ground loop. The pilot stated that at the approximate time of the accident, "two windsocks were visible indicating moderately strong winds in 180 degree opposite directions on the same runway." According to a special weather observation taken at Redmond at 1310, winds were variable between 280 and 010 degrees true at 8 knots.
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
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 24, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,625.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 3, 2001; 19.4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDT Pendleton OR at 5:30 pm
- Destination: RDM Redmond
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 04, 7,040 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:10 pm from RDM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
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.