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Incident
Sergeant Earl Burtch was killed in an airplane crash when the Bellanca monoplane he was piloting struck a mountain near Coffee Creek in Douglas County.
He was returning to Medford after making a trip to Roseburg to install and repair several radios for the Oregon State Police. During his return trip he encountered clouds that closed in on him. One of the wings of his plane struck a mountain, causing it to break off. The plane nosedived into a pasture near Coffee Creek, killing him on impact.
Sergeant Burtch had served with the Oregon State Police for 16 months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and 5-year-old son.
In Our Keeping
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
You barely got started.
Sergeant Burtch gave the Oregon State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Oregon. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Burtch.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Oregon State Police has lost 31 officers; 15 of them lost to accidents.
Earl is one of 66 officers lost to accidents in OR, 33.5% of the 197 remembered there.
Earl is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Earl is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1948, 2 officers at Oregon State Police were lost to accidents, the 2nd heaviest of 11 years on record. The heaviest was 1997, with 3.
In 1948, 2 officers in OR were lost to accidents, the 4th heaviest of 45 years on record. The heaviest was 1961, with 3.
In 1948, 74 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 36th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1948, 81 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 54th heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
Earl was 29. Of the 11 lost to accidents at Oregon State Police whose age is recorded, half were between 27 and 42; the middle age was 36. Earl had served 1.3 years; the middle length of service was 8 years.
Earl was 29. Of the 59 lost to accidents in OR whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 44.5; the middle age was 36. Earl had served 1.3 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Earl was 29. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Earl had served 1.3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Earl was 29. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. Earl had served 1.3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
September holds 40% of these deaths at Oregon State Police, more than any other month. Wednesdays: 20%.
September holds 15.2% of these deaths in OR; May holds the most, 16.7%. Wednesdays: 16.7%.
September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
September holds 9.1% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.
How
Accident deaths account for 48.4% of all 31 deaths at Oregon State Police, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 33.5% of all 197 deaths in OR, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Oregon State Police has 31 officers remembered here, Earl among them.
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Amos L. Helms
Dec 30, 1931
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Burrell Milo Baucom
Jul 1, 1933
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Ira A. Warren
Apr 7, 1938
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Elmer Ray Pyle
Aug 17, 1938
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Willard A. Tubbs
Jun 21, 1939
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George R. Cameron
Jul 5, 1944
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Theodore R. Chambers
Apr 29, 1945
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Delmond Edward Rondeau
Apr 25, 1947
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LeRoy H. Spickerman
Jan 17, 1948
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Earl A. Burtch
Sep 22, 1948
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William Thomas Levinson
Sep 7, 1950
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Dale Benjamin Courtney
Oct 1, 1950
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Philip B. Lowd
Jun 24, 1952
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Richard Francis O'Connor
May 8, 1956
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Charles Curry Sanders
Feb 22, 1957
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Frederick Christian Kielhorn
Sep 9, 1961
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Ralph D. Bates
Nov 8, 1962
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William M. Hall
May 11, 1967
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Donald Timothy Welp
Nov 15, 1967
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Dan Austin Nelson
Jul 28, 1972
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Harold Roy Berg
May 10, 1975
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Holly Vernon Holcomb
Nov 25, 1975
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James D. Shepherd
May 22, 1980
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Donald E. Smith
Jul 11, 1983
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Bret Robert Clodfelter
Sep 30, 1992
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Scott Alan Lyons
Sep 2, 1997
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James Dallas Rector
Sep 2, 1997
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Richard James Schuening
Oct 2, 1997
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Maria Mignano
Sep 4, 2001
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William Robert Hakim
Dec 12, 2008
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John Richard Burright
May 4, 2021
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 3-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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