Hummel / Finberg ULTRA CRUISER accident near Canby, Oregon, August 21, 2010
On August 21, 2010 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Hummel / Finberg ULTRA CRUISER, registered N524DF, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Canby, 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
The loss of engine power due to low cylinder compression.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2010 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Canby, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hummel / Finberg ULTRA CRUISER
- Registration
- N524DF · no longer on the register · serial 71
- 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 he was in cruise flight when the engine began to run rough and lose power. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost total power and the pilot maneuvered the airplane to a nearby field to perform a forced landing. Just before touchdown, the airplane collided with a barbed wire fence and subsequently landed hard. Examination and disassembly of the 2-cylinder engine revealed that the right and left cylinder intake valves were not properly seating with the cylinder heads when the valves were in the closed position. The pilot reported this condition would likely cause low cylinder compression and a loss of engine power. No other anomalies were noted with the engine.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 426 hours in all; 38 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 26, 2011
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 64 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 15, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 550 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Globe (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4S9 Mulino OR at 6:40 pm
- Destination: Hubbard OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.