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19980726024839A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-18A · Columbus, MT · July 26, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
July 26, 1998 · 09:15 local
Place
Columbus, MT
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N1252C
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA98LA150
Reported as
Piper PA18A
Reported engine
Lycoming O320*
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
226 total121 in this make and model16 in the last 90 days
N1252CRegistered now · Piper PA-18AS/N 18-2491 · Built 1953Airframe modelPiper PA-18AEngine modelLycoming 0-290 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.4)The pilot stated that the engine was running rough, and he elected to make an off-field precautionary landing. He stated that he had checked the carburetor heat and magnetos, and had pumped the throttle; however, his measures were insufficient to improve the situation. He elected to make his precautionary landing in a hayfield; braking for the short field and obstructions resulted in the airplane nosing over. FAA inspectors inspected the airplane and engine after it was removed from the accident scene and found no evidence of a mechanical problem that could have resulted in a rough-running engine. (-23) pilot reported making emergency landing 14 miles south of Columbus, MT. Pilot claimed he was having engine problems which led to the emergency landing. The follow-up investigaion revealed no engine problems of any sort. The fuel was also good. The pilots impacted the RPM meter at the impact a ND the RPM meter was froze at 2000 RPM. The prop showed the engine was operating at impack. I could find no mechanical reason for this emergency landing.

As the FAA filed it

(.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING ROUGH, AND HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF-FIELD PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. HE STATED THAT HE HAD CHECKED THE CARBURETOR HEAT AND MAGNETOS, AND HAD PUMPED THE THROTTLE; HOWEVER, HIS MEASURES WERE INSUFFICIENT TO IMPROVE THE SITUATION. HE ELECTED TO MAKE HIS PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN A HAYFIELD; BRAKING FOR THE SHORT FIELD AND OBSTRUCTIONS RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE NOSING OVER. FAA INSPECTORS INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE AFTER IT WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A ROUGH-RUNNING ENGINE. (-23) PILOT REPORTED MAKING EMERGENCY LANDING 14 MILES SOUTH OF COLUMBUS, MT. PILOT CLAIMED HE WAS HAVING ENGINE PROBLEMS WHICH LED TO THE EMERGENCY LANDING. THE FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGAION REVEALED NO ENGINE PROBLEMS OF ANY SORT. THE FUEL WAS ALSO GOOD. THE PILOTS IMPACTED THE RPM METER AT THE IMPACT A ND THE RPM METER WAS FROZE AT 2000 RPM. THE PROP SHOWED THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING AT IMPACK. I COULD FIND NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THIS EMERGENCY LANDING.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA98LA150Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportColumbus, MTPartial loss of power for undetermined reasons. Factors include the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for a precautionary landing.Jul 26, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N1252C · 1

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

Accident 19950617017949ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Laurel, MTWheels caught in tall grass while dragging a field for possible landing sight. Noted over.Jun 17, 1995 · Substantial damage