North American AT-6G accident near La Grande, Oregon, July 8, 2023
On July 8, 2023 at about 8:00 am local time, a 1958 North American AT-6G, registered N92761, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near La Grande, Oregon (La Grande/Union County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during an airstrip overfly, which resulted in impact damage to the left wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2023 · about 8:00 am local time
- Place
- La Grande, Oregon · La Grande/Union County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6G, built 1958 · all AT-6Gs on the register
- Registration
- N92761 · no longer on the register · serial 182-413
- 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 while overflying a grass airstrip to land, the left wing struck a tree after crossing the departure end of the runway at treetop level. The pilot maneuvered to a local airport for an emergency landing. During landing, shortly after the airplane crossed the runway threshold, a ground observer notified the pilot that the left landing gear was not extended. The pilot then placed the landing gear selector lever in UP position, but the right gear did not retract Subsequently, the airplane ground looped shortly after touchdown and collapsed the right landing gear. Post accident examination revealed that the left wing had substantial damage from impact with a tree. The pilot added that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,365 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 2,254 as pilot in command; 1,375 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
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: 11,028 hours in all; 605 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 10,878 as pilot in command; 5,670 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 8, 2022
- Medical certificate: None (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,410 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2023; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,617 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-S1H1 (piston); 972 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KJSY Joseph OR at 7:30 pm
- Destination: KUAO Aurora OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 6,261 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from KLGD
Weather report (METAR): KLGD 081956Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 24/10 A2991 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT SW RAB32E45 SLP109 P0000 T02440100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR23LA261.