Amateur-built Escapade accident near La Grande, Oregon, September 20, 2007
On September 20, 2007 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Escapade, registered N7078T, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Grande, Oregon (La Grande/Union County Airport). 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing, which resulted in a ground loop and substantial damage to the airplane's left wing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 2007 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Grande, Oregon · La Grande/Union County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Escapade
- Registration
- N7078T · no longer on the register · serial JAES C0042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that he lost directional control while landing. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the right followed by the right wing impacting the runway pavement, resulting in substantial damage. The student pilot further stated that wind was not a factor and that no anomalies existed with the airplane prior to the flight. The CFI reported that by the time he responded to the loss of control, "There just wasn't enough time. It was too late."
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,000 hours in all; 61 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax unk (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLG La Grande OR
- Destination: KLG La Grande OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from KLG
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.
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.