Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Myrtle Creek Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Myrtle Creek, Oregon 97457
Friday, March 4, 2011 13:17 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that while taxiing to the runway run-up area, he observed the windsock aligned with his intended departure runway. Following an uneventful engine run up, the pilot taxied onto the runway and observed the windsock shift direction momentarily to indicate about a 90 degree crosswind, and then realign with the runway. The pilot initiated the takeoff roll, and the airplane lifted off normally. During the initial climb, the pilot scanned all of the flight instruments, noting a positive climb rate. Shortly thereafter, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left, rolling the airplane about 90 degrees to the right. The pilot leveled the wings and felt the airplane descending. Despite the pilot's attempts to arrest the descent, the airplane continued to descend. Subsequently, the airplane struck several small trees and impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Review of recorded weather data from a weather station near the accident site revealed wind from 170 degrees at 7 knots, gusting to 19 knots about 24 minutes before the accident. About 36 minutes after the accident, the wind was recorded from 180 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 26 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's encounter with a windshear/downdraft that exceeded the climb performance capabilities of the airplane.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/4/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1317 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Myrtle Creek |
| Event State | OREGON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 97457 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 415950N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1231855W |
| Event Location Airport | Myrtle Creek Municipal Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 16S |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 619 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RBG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 529 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 26 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KRBG 042153Z AUTO 18013G26KT 10SM BKN070 15/03 A30 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28674 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 20 2011 2:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4374K |
| NTSB Number | WPR11FA153 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | VOLIN |
| Aircraft Model | KITFOX CLASSIC IV |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | C9502-0099 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 3 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 18 |
| Airframe Hours | 18 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VOLIN TOM R |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | COOS BAY |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 97420-6519 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | VOLIN TOM R |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | COOS BAY |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 97420-6519 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | 16S |
| Departure City | Myrtle Creek |
| Departure State | OR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1317 |
| Departure Time Zone | PST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | North Bend |
| Destination State | OR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 20 2011 2:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |