Piper PA-44-180 accident near Redmond, Oregon, February 7, 2021
On February 7, 2021 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 2002 Piper PA-44-180, registered N125MG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Redmond, Oregon (Roberts Fld airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the landing gear strut piston tube due to fatigue cracking from corrosion pitting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2021 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Redmond, Oregon · Roberts Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180, built 2002 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N125MG · registry record · serial 4496152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the instructional flight, the right main landing gear separated during landing roll following a normal touchdown. The separated right landing gear assembly then struck the rear edge of the wing, which resulted in substantial damage to the wing. Examination revealed that the right landing gear strut piston tube had failed due to two fatigue cracks that had originated from corrosion pits near a drilled hole. Two months before the accident, the manufacturer had issued a service letter applicable to the airplane that called for inspection of the strut piston tube for fatigue cracks. Performance of the inspection called for in the service letter would have discovered the cracks that led to the accident. Although the operator held a Part 141 certificate, they were not required to comply with the service letter.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 563 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 127 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 494 as pilot in command; 254 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 165 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: January 19, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,615 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11/2, 7,006 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:14 pm from RDM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 10, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 19 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Piper Service Letter 1263 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Memo for Record Email Summary from Dom | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N125MG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.