| Crash location | 45.602222°N, 123.021389°W |
| Nearest city | North Plains, OR
45.597060°N, 122.993439°W 1.4 miles away |
| Tail number | N43AZ |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 10 Aug 2014 |
| Aircraft type | Nelson Rv 3M |
| Additional details: | None |
On August 10, 2014, about 1220 Pacific daylight time, a Nelson RV-3M, N43AZ, experienced a partial power loss shortly after takeoff from the North Plains Gliderport (1OR4), North Plains, Oregon. The pilot (sole occupant) was not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings. The airplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Valley View Airport (5S9), Estacada, Oregon.
The pilot reported that this was the third flight of the day. The pilot took off; at 400 feet above the ground he started a left turn when the engine reduced to idle, surged a few times, and remained at idle. The pilot initiated a forced landing onto a nearby field about 900 yards to the east of the airport. The pilot landed hard and the main landing gear collapsed which substantially damaged the wing structure.
The airplane has been recovered to a secure location for further examination.