Nord (Sncan) STAMPE SV4C accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon, October 15, 1995
On October 15, 1995, a Nord (Sncan) STAMPE SV4C, registered N51SV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cottage Grove, Oregon. 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
A PROPELLER BLADE SEPARATION DUE TO INADEQUATE MATERIAL. THE LACK OF A SUITABLE AREA FOR THE FORCED LANDING WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1995
- Place
- Cottage Grove, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Nord (Sncan) STAMPE SV4C STAMPE SV4
- Registration
- N51SV · registry record · serial 460
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB-OUT AFTER TAKEOFF, A CRACKING SOUND WAS HEARD, AND THEN A SEVERE VIBRATION WAS FELT. THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AND EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON ROUGH TERRAIN, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LOWER WING CONTACTED THE SURFACE. POSTCRASH INSPECTION OF WOOD PROPELLER REVEALED THAT THE OUTBOARD SIX INCHES OF ONE BLADE HAD SEPARATED IN-FLIGHT. THE MANUFACTURER OF THE EXPERIMENTAL PROPELLER REPORTED THAT THE WOOD MATERIAL WAS A TYPE OF MAHOGANY, AND THAT ONLY 5 WERE MANUFACTURED BEFORE DISCONTINUING THE USE OF THIS PARTICULAR WOOD.
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; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Renault 4PO3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 61S
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N51SV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA96LA008.