A pilot has died after his ultralight aircraft crashed while he was trying to land at Chehalem Airpark, a small airfield west of Newberg, Oregon, on Monday afternoon, 12 October12. The Yamhill County Sheriff's Office identified him as Trevor Gray-Ingram, 58, of Vancouver, Washington234. He was the only person on board2. No one else was hurt and no buildings were damaged3. The cause of the crash has not been determined5.

What happened

According to the sheriff's office, the ultralight took off from Chehalem Airpark and flew around the area before it crashed during an attempt to land23. It came down in a privately owned field just off the airpark property23. Dispatchers were told of the crash just before 4:30 pm local time3. Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue (TVF&R), the Dundee Fire Department and sheriff's deputies responded, together with Life Flight, which landed a helicopter near the airpark36.

Deputies said the pilot got out of the wreckage on his own before crews arrived37. A TVF&R spokesperson said he was conscious when crews reached him, but that his condition worsened rapidly and he did not survive his injuries despite lifesaving efforts5. "Life Flight was activated and landed, but the pilot unfortunately did not survive his injuries," said Jacob Fuhrer, a public affairs officer for TVF&R1. The sheriff's office extended its condolences to his family2.

Chehalem Airpark, FAA identifier 17S, is a privately owned airfield that is open to the public, about four miles northwest of Newberg68. Its listing shows a single asphalt runway of 2,285 by 40 feet8.

The investigation

Representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board went to the scene, the sheriff's office said24. The crash was witnessed and caught on video; the sheriff's office reviewed the footage and gave it to the FAA23. Later that day, officials said the sheriff's office was coordinating with both federal agencies5. The Newberg Graphic reported that the sheriff's office and the county medical examiner's office were investigating, and KPTV reported that the NTSB is investigating the crash13.

The make, model and any registration of the aircraft have not been released23. None of the reports so far gives any information on the cause, and none describes the weather at the time235.

The NTSB describes the same general process for every investigation: notification and the decision to investigate, on-site fact gathering, analysis and determination of probable cause, acceptance of a final report and advocacy for safety recommendations9. The board says it tries to complete an investigation within 12 to 24 months9. For the fatal crash of a Cessna 550 at Statesville, North Carolina, in December 2025, for example, the board said a preliminary report with factual information was expected within 30 days, and that the probable cause and any contributing factors would come only in the final report10. Whether the board will open a full investigation into the Newberg accident, and what it will publish, has not been announced.

What this means for pilots

For student pilots, the word "ultralight" can be confusing, because it is used loosely in news reports. In United States regulations it has a specific meaning. Under Part 103 of the Federal Aviation Regulations, a powered ultralight vehicle is used by a single occupant for recreation or sport only, has no airworthiness certificate, weighs less than 254 pounds empty, has a fuel capacity of no more than 5 US gallons, is not capable of more than 55 knots calibrated airspeed at full power in level flight, and has a power-off stall speed of no more than 24 knots11. Such vehicles do not have to be registered or carry markings, and their operators need no pilot or medical certificate11. Part 103 flights are limited to the hours between sunrise and sunset, with a narrow exception for twilight, and may not be made over congested areas11.

A machine outside those limits does not qualify as an ultralight vehicle under Part 10311. Which category the Newberg aircraft belonged to has not been stated2. For those starting out, the route to a first licence is set out in PPL costs, duration and requirements.