Piper PA-30B accident near Corvallis, Oregon, April 29, 2021
On April 29, 2021 at about 11:20 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA-30B, registered N125RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Corvallis, Oregon (Corvallis Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a simulated engine out landing which resulted in impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2021 · about 11:20 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Corvallis, Oregon · Corvallis Muni · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30B, built 1966 · all PA-30Bs on the register
- Registration
- N125RJ · no longer on the register · serial 30-1351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and pilot rated passenger were performing a simulated single-engine landing with a left crosswind. According to the passenger, the pilot and he briefed the simulated single-engine procedure prior to the flight and determined that the simulated loss of engine power would be induced by pulling one of the engine mixtures to idle cutoff. He further remarked that they decided that the person at the controls would be responsible for maintaining directional control and any adjustments to the mixture, propeller, and throttle control settings. During the initial approach to land, the passenger pulled the left mixture control to idle to simulate a critical engine failure. The pilot stated that he did not adjust the throttle, propeller, or mixture control settings, and continued the approach to land. While on short final, the airspeed became too slow and the airplane started to balloon, and drift left of runway centerline. The pilot then advanced both engines to full throttle for a go-around, but the airplane yawed and banked to the left and the left wing struck the runway. The airplane then impacted the ground and slid to a stop off the left side of the runway. The left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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 in flight during approach (VFR go-around) 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 › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,347 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 1,383 as pilot in command; 1,003 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,697.9 hours in all; 19.8 in this make and model; 213 in the last 90 days; 84 in the last 30 days; 1,578.4 as pilot in command; 1,282.4 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 2, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,673.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 6, 2021
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-320-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KUAO Aurora OR at 10:20 pm
- Destination: KCVO Corvalis OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 5,900 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KCVO, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCVO 292356Z AUTO 31013KT 10SM CLR 21/04 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP232 T02110039 10250 20178 53002=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on September 21, 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 (Pilot) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (Co-pilot) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record A�� Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� Co-pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record A�� Chief Pilot of Flying Club | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | POH Excerpt for Single Engine Go Around and Simulated Single Engine Operation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N125RJ: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche 880 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A 55 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B 1,708 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Corvallis Municipal · nearest airport
- Aurora State Airport · departed from
- Corvallis Municipal · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,012 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR21LA179.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.