Amateur-built Northstar accident near Medford, Oregon, April 15, 2003
On April 15, 2003 at about 8:05 pm local time, a amateur-built Northstar, registered N606HS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oregon (Rogue Valley Intnl-Medford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The compressive buckling and collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2003 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · Rogue Valley Intnl-Medford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Northstar
- Registration
- N606HS · registry record · serial 118
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the homebuilt Herb Six Northstar was cleared for takeoff on runway 32 at the Medford airport. He made a wings level rolling left turn from an intermediate taxiway and accelerated to takeoff while raising the tail. During this maneuver the right main landing gear collapsed and the aircraft ground looped to a stop. Post-crash examination revealed the right main landing gear shock strut cross tube had buckled in compression in two locations and although the aircraft was in a left turn onto the runway the right main landing gear/wheel was found folded underneath the center of the fuselage.
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
- Flight time: 11 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 11, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 15, 2003; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MFR Medford OR at 8:05 pm
- Destination: OR96 Medford OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 8,798 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MFR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.