Piper PA-12 accident near West Linn, Oregon, March 19, 2026
On March 19, 2026, a 1946 Piper PA-12, registered N7632H, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near West Linn, Oregon (Shoreline Goat Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2026 · cases in 2026
- Place
- West Linn, Oregon · Shoreline Goat Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12, built 1946 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N7632H · registry record · serial 12-507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 18, 2026, about 1700 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-12, N7632H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near West Linn, Oregon. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Portland Hillsboro Airport (HIO), Hillsboro, Oregon, about 1500, en route to an off-airport landing area on Goat Island, located in the Willamette River. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that, during takeoff from an unimproved surface on Goat Island, the airplane accelerated normally. As the airplane reached rotation speed and became light on the landing gear, it made a sudden, sharp left turn. The airplane departed the takeoff area, traveled over the shoreline, and came to rest in the Willamette River, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had separated. The forward attach point exhibited longitudinal tears, and the aft attach point displayed cracking and buckling of the rear gear leg. The airplane was recovered to a secure location. The left main landing gear leg was retained for further examination.
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 takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
- Landing gear collapse during takeoff defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,269.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,935 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: HIO Hillsboro OR at 10:00 pm
- Destination: West Linn OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from SPB, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSPB 182253Z AUTO 11004KT 10SM CLR 18/06 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP174 T01830061
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N7632H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N7632H on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-12 Super Cruiser 1,247 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,837 aircraft on the register
- Portland-Hillsboro Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Oregon 1,864 since 1982 · 279 in the last ten years
- Oregon 7,008 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N7632H 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR26LA133.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.