Piper PA28 accident near Myrtle Creek, Oregon, March 16, 2021
On March 16, 2021 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1961 Piper PA28, registered N5060W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Myrtle Creek, Oregon (Myrtle Creek Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2021 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Myrtle Creek, Oregon · Myrtle Creek Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 160, built 1961 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N5060W · no longer on the register · serial 28-69
- 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 checked the airport’s wind indicators while on final approach prior to landing. He observed the wind tee to his left, which was partially obstructed by buildings, indicate a left crosswind, while the windsock to his right, abeam the runway numbers, indicated a right crosswind. He landed the airplane with 20° of wing flaps extended at 75 mph and subsequently retracted the flaps after the main landing gear touched down. According to the pilot, at that moment the airplane was impacted by simultaneous wind gusts from the left and right, and the prevailing wind pushed the airplane to the left. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane dug into soft dirt, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 196 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 6.2 in the last 90 days; 1.9 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 21, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,304 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 2021; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 4,592 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RGB Roseburg OR at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 03, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 4:16 pm from RGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on September 1, 2021. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation, Accident Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Federal Aviation Administration Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Accident Photographs | 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.
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.