# Accident 19970627016169A: Piper PA18A, Clovis, NM, June 27, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 27, 1997, 17:30 local time
- Place: Clovis, NM
- Airport: Aero Tech Inc Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Touch And Go Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.4104° N, 103.1991° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4104&lon=-103.1991&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1754A, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1754A) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-18A (registry code 7101804, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-18a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA18A
- Reported engine: LYC O320A1A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 17,158 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 70 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW97LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA241) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970627016169A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST CONTROL ON TAKEOFF. EXITED RUNWAY. LEFT WING HIT FENCE. CARTWHEELED. DAMAGED BOTH WINGS AND TAIL. BLAMED WIND. (-23) ON JUNE 27, 1997, APPROXIMATELY 1730 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-18 AIRPLANE, N1754A, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING LANDING AT A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, NEAR CLOVIS, NEW MEXICO. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED, VIA A STATEMENT IN NTSB FORM 6210.1/2, THAT HE WAS DOING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 36. HE REPORTED THAT DURING THE THIRD LANDING, A GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE TAIL WHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE AS IT TOUCHED DOWN, TURNING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT. HE TRIED TO INCREASE POWER TO LIFT OFF BUT "WAS OUT OF CONTROL." SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING STRUCK A FENCE, AND THE AIRCRAFT "CART WHEELED", RESULTING IN STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS AND THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT REPORTED THE STEADY STATE WINDS TO BE FROM THE SOUTH AT 2 KNOTS AND THAT THE GUST OF WIND WAS "UNEXPECTED." A NEARBY WEATHER REPORTED FACILITY (AWOS), LOCATED AT CLOVIS MUNICIPAL AIR                                  PORT, REPORTED THE WINDS TO BE FROM 190 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW97LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97LA241), Jun 27, 1997: Piper PA-18 (N1754A), Clovis, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was an unexpected gust of wind during landing touch down.

## Other reports on N1754A (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19850704031729A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850704031729A), Jul 4, 1985: Piper PA18A (N1754A), Tucumcari, NM, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed side of taxiway, nosed down and struck culvert. Pilot did not see jog in taxiway from back seat.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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