Amateur-built AIRCAM accident near Newport, Oregon, December 23, 2017
On December 23, 2017 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built AIRCAM, registered N959M, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Newport, Oregon (Newport Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while on final approach for landing in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 23, 2017 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newport, Oregon · Newport Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AIRCAM NO SERIES, built 2007
- Registration
- N959M · registry record · serial AC0129
- 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 twin-engine, experimental, amateur-built airplane was landing with a right crosswind. The pilot turned onto final approach for the runway and the airplane banked left and began to descend. The pilot attempted to correct, but the bank and heading change persisted, the airplane's descent rate increased, and the airplane impacted trees and the ground short of the runway threshold. The airplane sustained substantial damaged to both wings. Examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the airplane encountered a crosswind during final approach, and the pilot was unable to regain control before impact with trees and terrain.
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
- Inflight upset during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,400 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 836 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 15, 2017; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 851 hours total
- Engine 2: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 851 hours total
- Operator: Fly Seaplanes LLC
The flight
- Departed from: AST Astoria OR at 9:30 pm
- Destination: ONP Newport OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from ONP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR18LA055.