Amateur-built 2 accident near 15N Of Medford, Oregon, May 9, 1982
On May 9, 1982 at about 11:05 pm local time, a amateur-built 2, registered N1434Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near 15N Of Medford, Oregon (Beagle Sky Ranch airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1982 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- 15N Of Medford, Oregon · Beagle Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 2
- Registration
- N1434Z · registry record · serial 5116860
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 15 WITH 9 PARACHUTISTS ON BOARD. THE RUNWAY WAS UNIDIRECTIONAL REQUIRING TAKEOFFS ON RUNWAY 15 WHICH SLOPED DOWNHILL. AFTER BEGINNING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULITY IN MAINTAINING DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND INITIATED ABORT PROCEDURES. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT IN SPITE OF THE USE OF HARD LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKING ACTION. AS THE AIRCRAFT DECELERATED, IT DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK 3 FENCE POSTS, AND COLLIDED WITH A PARKED STINSON, N368C. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PARACHUTIST OCCUPYING THE COPILOT'S SEAT STATED THAT HE HAD PLACED HIS FEET BEHIND THE RUDDER PEDALS SHORTLY BEFORE TAKEOFF.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,965 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,861 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,476 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W 985-39 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OR96 15N Of Medford OR at 4:05 pm
- Destination: OR96 15N Of Medford OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from MFR, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.